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Wine Enthusiast
2020 Acumen Mountainside Rosé – 93 Points
October 2021 | “This is made entirely from Merlot grapes grown at the producer’s high-elevation Attelas Vineyard on Atlas Peak. With an inviting rose petal aroma on the nose, it offers a sinewy texture on the palate that carries flavors of pomegranate, rhubarb and lemon zest. It is lush yet balanced.”
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Wine Enthusiast
2018 Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon – 91 Points
November 2021 | “This is a lighter side mountain wine, blended with small amounts of Petit Verdot, Zinfandel and Merlot. Juicy in black cherry and cranberry, it offers earthy elements of cedar, sage and brush, with a texture of crushed rock. The oak is integrated but present.”
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Wine Enthusiast
2018 Acumen Mountainside Red Wine – 92 Points
November 2021 | “This is a combination of nearly 61% Cabernet Sauvignon with 27% Merlot and smaller percents of Petit Verdot and Zinfandel. Brushy sage, dried herb and cedar come to mind on the palate, the wine made in an old-world style of savoy earthiness and underlying brightness, the fruit a compote of pomegranate and plum.”
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Wine Enthusiast
2016 Acumen PEAK Cabernet Sauvignon – 90 Points
October 2021 | “This is estate-grown and blended with small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Juicy, with supple, integrated tannin, it shows a richness of dark fruit and savory earthiness, the oak melded within. While concentrated it is also in balance.”
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OwenBargreen.com
2020 Acumen Mountainside Sauvignon Blanc – 89 Points
June 2021 | Gooseberry and melon tones combine with minerals on this good, straightforward effort. Drink 2021-2024.
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OwenBargreen.com
2020 Acumen Mountainside Rosé – 90 Points
June 2021 | Beautifully textured, the 2020 Acumen Rose shows rose water and watermelon tones alongside citrus undercurrents. Fresh and vibrant, enjoy this excellent Rose over the next several years. Drink 2021-2024.
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OwenBargreen.com
2019 Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon – 90 Points
June 2021 | The 2019 Acumen Cabernet Sauvignon shows cocoa powder and black currant flavors alongside good acidity and mocha undertones. Medium-bodied, enjoy this Cabernet Sauvignon over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2021-2029.
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The Tasting Panel
2018 Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon – 94 Points: Outstanding
June 2021 | Bright blue fruit and tart dark cherry engage lavishly with spiced cedar and a hint of ginger and orange peel. The wine is youthful but easy drinking with tannins that dry the tongue – a testament to an inherent minerality with a brushy heather note.
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Forbes
Exploring The Cabernet Sauvignon Of Napa Valley, Part Five: Mountain Wines
May 17, 2021 | Discussing Napa Valley’s mountain appellations as if they’re some sort of monolith is a recipe for over-generalization if you’re not careful. After all, the region’s main mountain AVAs are found over a broad swath of Napa and boast remarkably different geological origins, soil compositions, expositions, and micro-climates
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Forbes
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - New Releases
Apr 26, 2021 | Notes on new releases of Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, including wines from some veteran producers (Pine Ridge, Miner, Turnbull) as well as relative newcomers (Acumen, Somerston).
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Jeb Dunnuck
Napa Valley's 2018s
January 28, 2021 | This report focuses on the 2018s from Napa Valley but also includes several late-release 2017s and 2019s from barrel. In addition, there is always considerable overlap in the Napa report with other regions. Napa producers tend to make wines from Sonoma and other nearby areas, and I’m happy to include them when I can.
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James Suckling
Weekly Tasting Report (Dec 14-20): 2 Perfect 100-point Wines Lead 447 Ratings
December 23, 2020 | It’s that time of year when Champagne is either in your hand or on your mind and this week we have a rare 100-pointer from Billecart-Salmon with just 1000 bottles made. The Billecart-Salmon Champagne Le Clos St.- Hilaire Brut 2003 hails from an extraordinary Champagne vintage in which only the best houses managed to find this kind of quality.
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Decanter
Napa Valley Cabernet: 2018 Vintage Report
November 16, 2020 | The best wines show control, poise and transparency between vineyard and appellation, with most of the 2018s well integrated and tastefully seasoned with oak, says Matthew Luczy, who rates 250 wines from the 2018 vintage.
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The Wine Advocate
The Bright, Shiny New Napa Valley 2018s
November 5, 2020 | If a lot of winemakers played the 2017 Napa Valley reds close to their chests, seemingly nervous to show them too soon (or sometimes at all), the opposite was the true of the 2018s. Indeed, I’ve been tracking the progress of many of these bright, shiny new 2018 beauties pretty much since they went to barrel.
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Phillip Titus, Winemaker
May 5, 2020 | Acumen Napa Valley is excited to announce the appointment of Phillip Titus to the position of winemaker. One of the New World’s most distinguished winemakers, and a master at crafting mountain-grown wines, Titus has spent the past three decades as the winemaker for his family’s Titus Vineyards, and at Chappellet Vineyards, where he has earned acclaim—and numerous 100-point scores—crafting mountain-grown wines on Pritchard Hill. In addition to his continued roles at Titus Vineyards and Chappellet, Titus will work with Acumen’s team, which includes renowned Viticulturist Garrett Buckland and Assistant Winemaker José Rodriquez, to guide Acumen’s winemaking program on Atlas Peak.
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Acumen Napa Valley Tasting Room to Unveil "Brix Fix" Art Exhibit Featuring Globally Acclaimed Artist Danette Landry
March 9, 2020 | Acumen is proud to announce that it will be unveiling a solo exhibit by globally acclaimed Painter and Sculptor Danette Landry at an open house hosted by the artist on Saturday, March 14th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entitled “Brix Fix,” the exhibit will include an array of original paintings by Landry, including works shipped from France and Australia specifically for the show. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Agnès Martin, Malevitch, Rothko and Richard Serra, Landry’s captivating paintings feature beautifully executed nontraditional color mixes, with an emphasis on the color red, and its power to seduce, celebrate, ignite and empower. Guests may experience “Brix Fix” at the Acumen Tasting Room, located at 1315 First Street in downtown Napa every Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and by appointment Monday through Wednesday.
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Acumen Donates 12,000 N95 Respirator Masks to the People of Wuhan, China
February 11, 2020 | In response to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, Acumen Napa Valley has donated 12,000 N95 Respirator Masks to the people of Wuhan, in the Hubei Province of China, which is the epicenter of the virus. The masks were shipped to China on Saturday, February 8th. Once the masks arrive in Wuhan, which is the home of Acumen’s founder, Eric Yuan, they will be delivered to the Wuhan Tongji Hospital. In addition to providing 12,000 N95 masks right away, Acumen has announced that it will be donating 50% of the proceeds from all online wine sales, and from wines purchased at the Acumen Wine Gallery in downtown Napa, throughout the rest of February. The additional money raised will fund the purchase of more N95 masks, and protective medical coveralls, and will be donated directly to hospitals in Wuhan.
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Forbes
Acumen - A New Shining Star from Napa Valley
September 12, 2019 | It’s this restrained manner of Cabernet Sauvignon that renders the Acumen wines as being so special. This signature style will certainly help in terms of identity, but apart from that, the Acumen Cabernets are much more enjoyable upon release that many counterpart wines from Napa Valley. For dinner tonight, would you rather opt for a wine than is huge and brimming with ripe fruit and big tannins, or would you prefer a first-rate wine that can actually be enjoyed now? I’m sure for most of us, the choice is an easy one.
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North Bay Voyager
Cabernet Lovers: Napa's Acumen Opens Tasting Room to the Public
August 14, 2019 | It's worth the trip to downtown Napa to taste Acumen's estate cabernet sauvignon.
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Wine Review Online
2015 Acumen PEAK Edcora Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - 100 Points
June 25, 2019 | “A very impressive wine that hearkens back to the early days of the Napa Valley, when age-worthy structure and balance were king. Intense berry fruit aromas are joined by notes of fig, baker's chocolate and savory hints of meat and dried herbs. It's all there on the palate, with a rich earthy character in front at present that will feather itself into the mix with further aging. Perfectly balanced, nuanced and thought provoking, and a definite cellar trophy at what's become a bargain price for such a wine. This isn't a score I throw out very often, but there's so much to offer here-I'm all in. Contains 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc.”
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South Florida Reporter
Wines For Valentine’s Day
FEB 2019 | 2015 Acumen PEAK Edcora Vineyard & Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignons
Acumen PEAK Edcora Vineyard 2015 ($150). Denis Malbec joined Henrik Poulsen in making some great wines from mountain-grown grapes on Atlas Peak, but sadly the 2015 are his last. Malbec died in 2016. Acumen’s stellar portfolio of premium red wines reveals the greatness that comes from mountainside grapes. This one – a blend of cabernet sauvignon (90 percent), petite verdot and cabernet franc – is deep, complex and layered with expressive aromas of violets and espresso. Black cherries and wild blackberries are cloaked in promising tannins. Acumen makes a 2015 Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) that uses less new oak and more merlot and malbec for a delicious and more approachable blend.
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JebDunnuck.com
North Coast Part 1: Napa Valley’s Incredible 2017's
JAN 2019 | 2017 Acumen PEAK Sauvignon Blanc – 92 Points
“The flagship white is the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Peak, which is all Sauvignon Blanc sourced from the Atlas Peak AVA. This medium gold-colored effort offers a vibrant nose of citrus blossom, white grapefruit, and hints of spice in a juicy, medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, pure style. It's a terrific Sauvignon Blanc from Napa that's well worth drinking. Maturity 2019 – 2022.”
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Vinography
Vinography Unboxed: Week of 01/06/19
JAN 2019 | 2017 Acumen "Mountainside" Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet chalkboard, lemon and apples. In the mouth, golden apples and a bit of lemon pith mix with lemon juice and a hint of honeysuckle. Green apple and lime juice notes linger in the finish. Good acidity. 14.4% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.
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The Press Democrat
A tasty lineup of The Press Democrat's wine-of- the-week winners for New Year’s
DEC 2018 | The Acumen, 2015 Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon, $60, ★★★★1⁄2. This cab is striking with generous fruit — black cherry, blackberry, cassis and a streak of black raspberry. It has firm tannins and great bone structure. The Acumen is also briary and layered with savory notes, with a hint of forest floor. This mountain-grown cab is a beauty. It’s 76 percent cabernet sauvignon, 8 percent cab franc, 7 percent merlot, 5 percent malbec and 4 percent petit verdot.
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Wine & Spirits
2014 PEAK Edcora Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
DEC 2018 | "“Eric Yuan purchased the Attelas Vineyard in 2012, a 32-acre site planted in 1992 by Jan Krupp. He used that property to found his winery on Atlas Peak, then added Edcora, an 84-acre vineyard 350 feet above Attelas, in 2014. Both sites are certified organic. Garrett Buckland grows the grapes and Henrik Poulsen makes the wines, including this bright, violet-scented cabernet from Edcora."
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ModernWine.com
2017 Acumen Mountainside Sauvignon Blanc
NOV 2018 | "The Sauvignon Blanc is made very much in the white Bordeaux model, broad and melony with stirred lees to give it great mouthfeel and a dose of oak aging that lends a spicy, toasty finish. It's an impressive wine with great concentration of flavor, and the oak is well integrated, so the wine isn't overly 'woody.'”
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Wine Review Online
2014 Acumen Mountainside Red Wine
NOV 2018 | “A blend of Bordeaux varieties made in a rich, fruit forward style that’s sure to please. Typical blackberry, cassis and cigar box spice aromas and flavors abound, and lively acidity carries the flavors through a bright finish where more red cherry and plum flavors make themselves known. There’s AVA structure here not often found in this price range. A solid buy from a producer to watch!”
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D Magazine
What To Drink Now: Sauvignon Blanc
NOV 2018 | "Mountainside-grown Sauvignon Blanc is not the norm in Napa, but Acumen is proving that nuanced whites can be made from steep Atlas Peak slopes. Aromatic and inviting, the wine is layered with lemon leaf, jasmine, and pear.”
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Pride Journeys
The 20 Must-Have Wines for 2018…and 2019
NOV 2018 | "This full-bodied (2015 Mountainside Red) wine starts with fragrant aromas of black cherries, English roses, mocha, sweet earth, and fresh blackberry pie. On the palate, we find mouth-coating flavors of blueberries, Santa Rosa plums, and baking spices with a pleasant grip of ripe tannins coupled with notes of toffee, rhubarb compote, fresh sage and cigar box on the long and pleasant finish.”
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Vinography
Vinography Unboxed: Week of 10/28/18
NOV 2018 | "...I've got a couple of stunning Cabernets from the higher elevations of Napa to recommend. These two wines from Acumen vineyards are wonderful -- clocking in at close to 14% alcohol with great acidity, great balance, and remarkably well integrated oak. Totally delicious and worth finding..."
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Wine Review Online
2014 Acumen Mountainside & PEAK Cabernet Sauvignon
OCT 2018 | “The grapes for this (2014 Edcora Vineyard) Cabernet are from a southwest facing vineyard on Atlas Peak, bringing lively ripe fruit aromas and flavors of cherry, blueberry and fall spice, complemented by a rich dry earth minerality that adds a lot of depth and interest. This is a solidly structured wine that’s just beginning to speak. Age it well -- 15 years isn’t out of the question – or decant long near term. This is a winery to watch! Contains 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.”
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Wine Advocate
USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages
OCT 2018 | “The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Peak unfurls to reveal fragrant lime blossoms and honeysuckle scents over a core of fresh grapefruit, lemon curd and crushed rocks plus a waft of baker's yeast. Medium to full-bodied, it bursts in the mouth with loads of citrus and mineral layers and a crisp, refreshing line with a very long, chalky finish. 2018 – 2025.”
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Wine Enthusiast
Advance Wine Buying Guide
OCT 2018 | “Shy at first on the nose, this wine develops to reveal a voluptuous style of fleshy, rounded grapefruit, pineapple, cantaloupe and Meyer lemon. It remains complex and exotic through a lengthy midpalate and textured finish, with persistent acidity."
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The Tasting Panel
Peak of Perfection
OCT 2018 | “This small but resonant winery is destined for world-class status. ...The wines’ complex nature is apparent and their character defines excellence.”
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Robb Report
Acumen Napa Valley Has Wine That Lights Up Atlas Peak
AUG 2018 | "In the aftermath of last year's wildfires, a world-class wine estate matures in Napa."
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Houston Lifestyles & Homes
Seeing Red – Wines to snatch up for fall and winter tasting
Aug 2018 | “First of this producer — ACUMEN — that I have had the pleasure to taste. About as good as Napa Cabernet gets!”
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South Florida Reporter
How About A Wine For Dad?
JUNE 7, 2018 | “This Napa producer makes a series of stunning, colossal cabernet sauvignons from vineyards on Atlas Peak. Founded by Eric Yuan only a couple of years ago, Acumen is showing great potential with mountain-grown grapes.”
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NAPA Magazine
Tips for Your Next Trip to Napa Valley
MAR 2018 | “Napa Valley is continually evolving and not only in terms of its winery offerings. ...(Acumen Wine Gallery) showcases wines from Acumen’s organically farmed estate vineyards on Atlas Peak with three terroir-expressive wine tasting experiences.”
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7x7 Magazine
Napa's Acumen Wine Gallery is an artful spot for tasting
JAN 24, 2018 | "A new name is emerging on Atlas Peak that aims to solidify the appellation as one ofNapa Valley's premier regions for fine, age-worthy cabernet sauvignon."
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7 X 7 Magazine
6 Napa Valley wine regions where you can taste on foot
JUL 19, 2017 | The super luxe Acumen tasting salon features a rotating art gallery, barrel samples on tap, and recycled furniture pieces… The wines are just as refined, sourced from one of Napa Valley's most prized and under-the-radar mountainous regions, Atlas Peak.
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Wine Enthusiast
Mastering Napa's Mountains
June 2017 | “Another high-profile project is Acumen Wines… it’s a high-elevation, rocky site six miles off the Silverado Trail and above the fog line. Its 32 acres, now known as Attelas, are certified organic.”
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Napa Valley Register
Acumen opens downtown gallery
May 25, 2017 | “Unlike most downtown tasting room, Acumen’s incorporates a high-end art gallery that will feature a rotating collection of art… the striking space also includes a small wine bar where taps dispense some samples as well as a private tasting room and a glass-front closet for wines.”
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Jancis Robinson
Acumen, the importance of the human factor
Apr 10, 2017 | “Delicious, herbal, tree character here that gives a savoury depth to the wine and again that mountain rock element throughout. 18.5+ out of 20 points”
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Forbes
15 Cold Weather Wines for the Last Days of Winter
Mar 10, 2017 | “This wine packs in all the fruit you’d expect in a Napa Cab, but with such finesse.”
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Wine Enthusiast
The 2013 Napa Valley Vintage as told in 10 Cabs
Feb 20, 2017 | “It shines in bristling acidity, dusty tannin and a beautiful floral aroma of violet. Editors’ Choice.”
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Santa Cruz Sentinel
California Wine of the Week: Acumen 2013 Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Jan 17, 2017 | “The Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon is like a deep root, full of twists and turns and dark dimension. Purple in color with a blackberry aroma, it’s velvety smooth.”
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Capital Gazette
Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Dec 28, 2016 | “Powerful structure with layered cherry, blueberry and plum flavors. Long, mineral finish.”
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The Tennessean
Holiday Wines: Save or splurge
Dec 17, 2016 | “Acumen Cabernet Sauvignon is making a name for itself with estate-grown organic fruit from Napa’s coveted Atlas Peak AVA. “
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The Lowell Sun
Six wines get stamp of approval from club tasters
Dec 15, 2016 | "Very classy, richly layered in blackberries, plummy, so smooth and velvety, refined, toasty vanilla finish."
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The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Best high-end wines: 2016 guide
Dec 15, 2016 | “The 2013 Acumen Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) from Napa Valley has a pronounced black cherry flavor, and came alive with some air.”
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The Tasting Panel Magazine
95 points - Acumen Wine 2013 Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon
Dec 2016 | "... balanced and deep, it is the equal of wines selling for five times the price."
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Bigger Than Your Head
Whither Napa Valley Cabernet XII: Nine Examples
Dec 7, 2016 | ” …an experience that feels as if you’re drinking architecture…”
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D Magazine
What to Drink Now: More Delicious Napa Valley Reds
Dec 5, 2016 | “…a new winery from high atop Atlas Peak led by one of Napa’s most respected winemakers, Steve Matthiasson.”
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The Detroit News
Acumen: Winery on Atlas Peak in Napa touts 2013 Mountainside Cabernet
Nov 18, 2016 | “It’s elegant and powerful, and expresses the earthy, mineral-laden tones of mountain fruit in the
flavors.”
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The Planet Grape Wine Review
2013 Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Oct 13, 2016 | “Full-bodied, balanced, supple and expressive…”
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