Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Eisele Vineyard 1994

97 points Neal Martin (Wine Advocate): "The highlight of the Araujo vertical. A deep garnet core with dark brick rim. It has a broody nose at first, plum, prune, minerals, moderate definition but not much lift. Medium-bodied palate, ultra-smooth entry and seamless tannins. Satin texture, very focused with good acidity. The power creeps up on you, real crescendo on the finish with a real kick on the back-palate, almost a citrus-like in its freshness. This remains primal after 12-years...and it will need another twelve! Magnificent. Tasted May 2006. (5/29/09)"

95 points Robert Parker: "The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the renowned Eisele Vineyard, which has a long history of producing stunning wines (the Ridge 1971 Eisele Vineyard, the Conn Creek 1974, the Phelps 1976 Insignia, and the 1975 and 1978 Eisele Vineyard Cabernets). At present, the Araujos limit production of their estate Cabernet Sauvignon to approximately 2,500 cases. It is a wine that combines the extraordinary power and richness of this hot area of Napa, with stunning purity and delineation. Like its siblings, the 1994 Araujo Eisele exhibits an impressively saturated dark purple color. This wine is intent on revealing its charms at a relatively early age given its knock-out aromatics... the 1994 is a profoundly rich, silky-textured wine with an uncanny balance between its smooth tannin and layers of cassis and blackberry/mineral-tinged fruit. (Dec 1997)"

95 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Fully mature, with olive, earth, spice, smoke and thyme accents that ride easily on top of the red fruits, there is a softness and elegance that easy to feel in the finish. There is no reason to hold this any longer. (Feb 2019)"

93 points Wine Spectator: "This wine builds intensity and depth, with a youthful, vibrant core of black cherry, currant and wild berry. Deftly balanced, with firm tannins and fine structure, the finish shows power and finesse, with a rich aftertaste and loads of tannins yet to shed.--California Cabernet '74/'84/'94 retrospective. (11/15/04)"

19/20 points Jancis Robinson: "The Araujos bought the property in 1990. Not quite as dark as the Phelps 1982. More restrained than the Phelps and with much more sophisticated texture. Light and lively. Not spitting that! Very beautiful. Drink: 2000-2025. (10/25/13)"