91 pts - Wine Advocate
The 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard is a 1,700 case blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot. This vintage produced lighter wines, resulting in a Bordeaux-like example of this cuvee. After 22 months in oak, this textured, perfumed Cabernet offers up aromas of black currants, earth, and lilacs (reminiscent of Chateau Margaux). It possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as medium body, a good texture, a slight austerity, but brilliant purity and balance. A lighter-weight effort by Araujo’s standards, it is extremely well-balanced and approachable. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. - RP (12/2003)
92 pts - Wine Spectator
92 pts - Vinous
Good medium red-ruby. Sappy black raspberry, redcurrant, flowers, tobacco and licorice on the nose, along with sexy, smoky oak notes of torrefaction. Dense and lush, with a restrained sweetness and hints of minerals and chocolate. Not a huge wine but boasts lovely intensity and vinosity. The first vintage of this wine to include some merlot - no doubt at least partly due to the influence of consulting enologist Michel Rolland. ST