93 points, The Tasting Panel
92 points, James Suckling
For more than 45 years, Pine Ridge Vineyards has been crafting acclaimed wines in the heart of the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, just off the region’s renowned Silverado Trail. Our Traveler’s Series goes beyond the trail and marries our decades-long experience producing authentic Cabernet Sauvignon with our intimate knowledge of the variety’s diverse terroir, putting us in a position to explore a new expression that honors our winemaking legacy. Our Traveler’s Series is our most readily accessible Cabernet Sauvignon, with layers of juicy fruit and a soft texture, crafted in a classic Pine Ridge style.
Aromas of bright fruit flavors of wild cherry, strawberry, and fig primarily fill up the glass layered with sweet vanilla and brown sugar in the background. Traveler’s has a bright entry layered with quince paste, a lush midpalate, followed by a mouthwatering firm tannin finish. Enjoy over the next 10 years.
The 2022 growing season saw record-breaking weather events in Northern California. Early on, 80% of the season’s rainfall arrived before the year began, filling vineyard ponds after a two-year dry spell. The ensuing dry spell prompted an early bud break, resulting in healthier canopies. Summer brought average conditions with a slight warmth. Harvest was predicted to begin 5 to 7 days earlier and be 15% lighter than average, yet of exceptional quality. September’s unprecedented heat wave accelerated the harvest, later tempered by a rain event, allowing a steadier ripening pace. The 2022 harvest stands out as the most condensed in recent memory, yet of high quality. Fruit was night harvested between September 7 and October 28.
Our grower relationships in Napa Valley led us on a path to discover hidden gems in neighboring winegrowing regions, like Solano and Sonoma counties, where high quality Cabernet often goes unnoticed. With guidance from our Viticulture Director Gustavo Aviña, and the expertise of our Pine Ridge winemaking team, we ventured off the trail and discovered superior quality fruit that represents our ideal expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. Crafted from a number of premiere vineyards across three appellations and fermented in separate lots before being meticulously blended to create a wine with layers of fruit, complexity, plush texture and approachable upon release.