Lot 3 2023 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml

92-POINTS James Suckling: Deeply scented dark fruit with a lovely floral lift and undertones of licorice, earth and spices. The palate is plush and rounded, with a textural, full-bodied mouthfeel, firmly framed tannins and balanced acidity that lead to a fruit-driven, savory finish. Great value. Drink or hold.

Our next offering hails from one of my favorite Napa Cabernet producers. Their wines pitch right up the middle stylistically, combining a rich-yet-elegant, approachable style with well-deployed oak regimens and a built-to-last structure. While the focus is typically on Cabernet clones, today's release hails from what I suspect is their ~$100 "Reserve" program bottling that captures their top barrels from Napa's top appellations. Today's release is a blend of Coombsville, Yountville, Rutherford and St. Helena AVA Cabernet Sauvignon plus 4% Merlot and 2% Petite Verdot and 2% Malbec.

Bottling blend? I can't be sure to be honest, but we loved it at first sight and are bottling it pretty much as-is (we blended in 2% Malbec).

Absolute classic Napa Valley Cabernet from and absolute classic vintage destined to go down in history as one of Napa's finest. I have purchased plenty of wine from these folks in the past but nothing like this. Trust me, I never would have gotten my hands on this wine in any other market conditions. 

Did I mention it's another screaming value?

Fantastically colored, deep purple in the glass with a kiss of purple electricity around the rim. Ripe and effusive right out of the bottle, the bouquet lively with powdery purple flowers, black cherry and black currant and a meaty melange of dark chocolate and fresh turned black soil. Succulent, juicy and remarkably open knit on the palate with blackberry jam and blackcurrant mingling with toasty oak and cocoa riding a perfectly integrated structure. Seamless, lush and ripe, it spreads out beautifully across the palate in a long, rich, balanced finish.

92% Cabernet, 4% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec
50% Coombsville, 21% Yountville, 19% Rutherford, 10% St. Helena
18-months in ~35%-45% new French oak
14.8% alc.
~250 cases production

Bottled June 27, 25