Stating the obvious: Serious Napa Cabernet ain’t cheap, and many highly-coveted wines from highly-prized estates are only available via allocation lists—which have long waiting lists themselves. While the number of unavailable wines herein may frustrate, a good chunk of the below are still easy to find. 

This may also state the obvious, but when dealing with Napa Cabernet, it’s a good rule of thumb here to assume that pricing is far more a function of market demand rather than pure quality. In other words: while everything here is quite recommendable, one should not assume that the Harlan wines are, like, twenty times better than Smith-Madrone’s, or ten times better than Matthiasson’s. 

To read the accompanying feature article on these producers of classically styled producers of Napa Cabernet, click here. 

Classic Napa Cabernet Tasting Notes

BETA WINES/JASUD ESTATE

Thrilling, singular and utterly stunning wines courtesy of winemaker/proprietor Ketan Mody, from a winery that’s clearly near the top of the list of the most important new (or even recent) American projects. While these wines are unique in their expression of mountainside Napa fruit, they nonetheless have a clear throughline with the august likes of ‘70’s and ‘80’s Diamond Creek—which happens to be just down the hill from the Jasud vineyard.

This is a major IYKYK estate, and the Jasud wines (a grand total of around 150 cases will be produced for the ‘22 vintage, though that number is likely to increase as the still-nascent vineyard matures) are immediately snapped up by those on the allocation list. I’ve yet to see any available on the secondary market. Around 600 cases of Beta Wines’ multiple single-vineyard bottlings, made from purchased fruit, are produced annually; these do show up in smarter wine shops and on wine lists. That the notes on the Beta Wines are shorter are a function of taking fewer notes, and should not be construed as a lack of enthusiasm.

2024 Jasud Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

The sweetest and most primary nose of the four most recent Jasud vintages: ripe blueberries, and pretty floral scents. Also the most structured—no surprise, given its extreme nascency—with noticeable tannins, albeit those are not as present as they are in the ‘23. Flavor profile displays seriously brooding blue and black fruits: blueberry, black plum. Very young, to restate the obvious, but impresses nonetheless. 

2023 Jasud Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

A sweeter nose than the 2022, though one still shading to the savory end of the spectrum. Tannins are more present, too, as is the fruit: blackberry and plum, amid notes of meat, sweet black olive, and black pepper. Remarkable purity and elegance–truly excellent stuff. Lighter than the ‘22. 

2022 Jasud Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

Very fine tannins–shockingly so. With some time in glass the nose displays cola, spices common in Middle Eastern cuisine, and notes of char and graphite. In the mouth the wine leads with those spice notes, accompanied by blackberries, herbs, and the savoriness that’s a Jasud trademark. A remarkably complex palate that keeps shifting and changing. Excellent balance, and there’s a real lightness to this, which is not a term often applied to Cabernet. You could drink this now, but don’t. 

2021 Jasud Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

Very fine tannins are very well-integrated, even at this early stage. Rosewater-esque note on the earthy nose, which floats atop a palate that fuses dark fruit and sweet-savory notes along the lines of sweet black olives, amid notes of middle eastern spices. After a few hours, harmony sets in, and a hint of smoke and a meaty and substantial savoriness emerge, along with whispers of tomato and tomato leaf, all amid Jasud’s remarkable elegance. Insane length. A knockout, unlike any Napa Cabernet you’ve had—and all this even while the mid-palate has yet to fully develop. In a word: wow. 

2023 Jasud Estate Own Rooted Cabernet Sauvignon (really NA)

From the estate’s block of ungrafted vines. Produced in absolutely microscopic quantities; in this vintage, there will only be 200 bottles, all magnums. Staggeringly complex aromas–birch beer, cinnamon, clove. Possibly the most obviously Cabernet-ish of the Jasud wines, if that makes sense: dark cherry, currant. Seems a bit more viscous in the glass, too. Rather locked up and clearly very young, but still extraordinarily impressive. 

2019 Beta Wines Hamilton Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

Very friendly and very open. Pure ripe berry fruit, quite joyful; floral and immediate. Drinking well now. From teenaged vines in a vineyard that’s, sadly, no longer around owing to a bizarre plumbing accident. (I know, I know, this sounds like something out of Spinal Tap, but unfortunately it’s true.) 

2019 Beta Wines Lupina Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

Darker fruited, with black currant, than many of the other Beta wines sampled. Inky dark purple in the glass. Fascinating, complex aromas—herby, hints of eucalyptus, cherry cough drop. Strong structure, and tannins evident and persistent over several days. Slug of acidity comes up at the finish. Lots of complexity, and this needs a lot of time to really express it. From vines planted in a site that’s close to the Montecillo vineyard, but displays wildly different characteristics. 

2023 Beta Wines Placida Vineyard Chardonnay (NA)

From barrel, and therefore still quite young, but the strongest impression this leaves is of delicacy. Meadow flowers, slate-y, a sensation of very finely crushed rocks, and lemon on the finish. 

2022 Beta Wines Placida Vineyard Chardonnay (NA)

Shares many characteristics with the ‘21, while being a much rockier wine, and the palate leans more towards lemon oil. Darker green in the glass, reductive, decidedly still coming together, but clearly on the same level as the ‘21. Beta and Jasud are Cabernet-focused, but Beta's Chardonnays are also very compelling.

2021 Beta Wines Placida Vineyard Chardonnay (NA)

Sea spray on the reduced nose, alongside a hint of oak. A green-tinged yellow in the glass. Tart green apples on the palate, alongside citrusy notes that lean to grapefruit. A very refreshing vintage—or, as winemaker Ketan Mody prefers to put it, ”a ripper of an acid year”—and very interesting, with enviable length. Drinking very well now; this one will challenge you to let it cellar for a bit. 12.7% ABV.

2012 Beta Wines Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

From a vineyard planted in 1968 and situated more than 1700 feet above sea level; it’s in Sonoma County, just over the border from Napa. Classic Cabernet notes dominated by currant intermingling with spice, framed with a refreshing and clarifying snap of acidity. 

2013 Beta Wines Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($140)

Fully integrated and evolved; remarkably harmonious. Minerality dominates the long finish. My favorite of the older Montecillos I sampled. 13.3% ABV. 

2018 Beta Wines Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

Sweeter fruit on the nose, and a spicier palate than the other older Montecillos. Also classic in its Cabernet profile, but very tight—there’s a lot in the mid-palate that isn’t accessible right now. Tannins come up at the finish. Cellar this one for several more years. 

2021 Beta Wines Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($195)

Very young, and still quite tight. Fruit is friendly, though, despite the relative leanness of the vintage. Currant and sour plum, alongside some interesting saline notes, dominate. Cellar this one for a long time. 

2021 Beta Wines Piratus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

From Mount Veeder grapes formerly went into Mayacamas’ benchmark rustic-elegant mountain Cabernets. Palate is the spiciest of all Beta wines tasted. Serious tannins, and very young–needs a lot of time.

2019 Beta Wines Vare Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($150)

Shy nose, at first—cola, with herby notes in the background. In time, notes of sweet dark cherry, savory notes, and a hint of band-aid are there. Acidity is refreshing and high; tannins are there but finer than in many other Beta cuveés. From the only valley floor vineyard that Beta worked with, in Napa’s Oak Knoll District. 12.2% ABV. 

2014 Beta Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Vare Vineyard (NA)

Floral and savory nose, with some char and graphite. Focused and somewhat lean in the palate at first, with red fruits battling it out with meatier notes and spice. Much more open on night two, with a Beta/Jasud trademark sweet savoriness battling it out with the red fruits. On night three, the nose moves into a deeper register, with blackberries mingling with ripe black olives, and the sweet savoriness carries through to the palate, though the presentation there is red-fruited. Really great stuff—and, given its development over multiple nights, still quite young. 

CORISON

Drinking traditionally-styled Napa Cab when it’s very young is not for the faint of heart, but I’ve found that Corison’s wines lack the toughness that many of these other wines display upon release. That said, they do benefit from significant cellaring. Cathy Corison remains a very reliable producer of gorgeous wines, from a region that’s not always associated with that adjective. She’s now 71, and shows no sign whatsoever of slowing down, but her youngest daughter, Grace, now works closely with her as the estate’s assistant winemaker. 

2021 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($125)

A darker-fruited nose leads to a very lifted wine. ‘21 was a cooler vintage, and those are the years when Corison particularly shines in relation to her peers. Red berries–raspberries, even—and remarkable lift and elegance, while still being identifiably Cabernet. From three vineyards on the Rutherford bench that Corison has been working with for years—Grech, Hayne, and Sunbasket.  

2021 Corison Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

From 54-year-old vines at Corison’s winery, which she purchased in the mid-nineties. A notably distinct expression of Valley floor fruit, one where broodiness coexists alongside lightness. Ripe boysenberry, dark cherry, and currant; already quite harmonious. A serious mineral crunch at the end. Very impressive.

2014 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($100)

Very pretty, and how often is that term applied to Napa Cabernet? Purple fruit, ripe blackberry—darker fruits than the ‘21s—within a very Corison-ian structure of tiny tannins, tannins that are,as it enters its eleventh year, close to being fully resolved. A streak of herbiness flitters throughout and adds complexity. Great harmony and subtlety; delicious now, but still young. 

1998 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

An incredibly seductive mouthfeel, which, while hardly unique for Corison’s wines, is especially pronounced here. Loads of sweet currant on the nose, plus black pepper and herbs and spice—a balanced meal, really. Ripe blueberries on the ample (but by no means overgenerous) mid-palate, topped with hints of spice once typical for the region: bay leaf, thyme. Incredibly purity and incredible finesse. The kind of wine that rewards contemplation and also brings joy. 

1993 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($195)

A classic Corison conjuring: this is all of 12.8% ABV, and nonetheless packs a remarkable amount of Cabernet fruit into the package. Tannins are fully resolved; even by Corison standards, this is a very silky wine. A hint of char and smoke and graphite up top. Direct in its pleasures, of which there are many, and quite delightful to drink, but I found there was a bit more going on in the ‘98. 

DI COSTANZO

Erin and Massimo Di Costanzo’s end-run around the expense of Napa land led them to focus on minimally-crafted, classically-styled wines from purchased fruit. (They do farm some of their rented plots.) 

Their site selection shows a marked preference for single-vineyard hillside fruit; I, for one, have no argument with that whatsoever. 

2022 Di Costanzo Caldwell Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

A sweeter nose than the Farellas, with a pronounced cassis character and—old-school Napa alert!— a hint of mint. Much finer tannins too, and more curranty fruit. A whisper of menthol adds interest. Interesting stuff, even at this very youthful stage. From a vineyard block planted in 1983 in Coombsville, which is one of Napa’s cooler-climate AVAs. 

2023 Di Costanzo Deering Vineyard Chardonnay (NA)

Summertime. A green-tinged pale yellow in the glass, a nose redolent of ripe fresh-pressed apple juice that’s so lively it’s mouthwatering in itself. That liveliness continues through the palate, along with some summery grassy notes. Rocky, with excellent acidity—this is light for a Napa Chardonnay, but there’s lots of layers of interest here. 12.8% ABV. 

2019 Di Costanzo Farella Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($140)

Surprisingly approachable, given its youth. Savory notes—herbs, black pepper, graphite—with the fruit underneath; a pleasing balance. Good acidity, and a more relaxed tannic structure. From another Coombsville vineyard, one that was planted in 1979. 

2014 Di Costanzo Farella Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($110)

Ripe berries intermingle with classic Napa herby notes of bay leaf. Still a tannic bite after ten years. Nose is peppery, with a hint of balsam. Quite distinctive, but expect that this one will take longer to really come around than the ‘19.

DUNN VINEYARDS

A singular mountain estate and a longstanding Napa classic producer, one rightly acclaimed for making very long-lived Cabernets that, at their best, unquestionably rank with the great wines of the world. Those impressed with the purity and honesty of these wines might be surprised to know that its commitment to keeping wines below 14% has long extended to using corrective de-alcoholizing techniques in the winery, to no apparent effect on the flavor profiles and overall vibe of the wines. 

2019 Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($110)

50 percent young vine fruit from Dunn’s home Howell Mountain vineyards; 50 percent fruit from Coombsville. There are tannins and there is structure, but on balance this is friendlier at this stage than one might expect from Dunn’s rep. Sweet fruits on the nose, ripe blueberries, and a welcome touch of herbiness on the palate; with good acidity. I’d still wait to drink this for sure, but the presentation was significantly more open that I’d have guessed.

2019 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($200)

Much spicier than the Napa Valley bottling, with significantly more tannic grip as well. Complex: Blue and black fruits, herbs, and a hint of cinnamon. Needs time. N.B: at the time of this writing, there is an unusually wide range of pricing in the U.S. for this recent vintage, ranging from $175 to almost $300—but it’s widely available, so shop around. 

2015 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($210)

Ripe, but with an underlying elegance, and sweeter fruits than other vintages listed herein. Blue fruits rather than black, but still noticeably richer than the other Dunns tasted. 

2013 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($185)

Tannins are more resolved than I’d have expected. Friendly, brambly mountain fruit, along with black pepper; richness, and elegance. I’m very curious to see how this one will develop. 

2002 Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($169)

Warning: the upcoming comparison is a very deep cut—so deep that for all I know, I’m the only one who will grok this connection—but this one leaves me thinking that is Dunn the American analog to Vignobles Levet, and especially that domaine’s thrilling La Chavaroche Côte Rôties. Intense purity and focus; a very precise laser beam of flavor and harmony, and great length. Extremely fine tannins—seamless after a full 22 years, and as seductive on the palate as red Burgundy. Herbs and currants, a crunch of mineral at the finish, and a lasting impression of sheer elegance, but one that feels remarkably natural and uncontrived. A spectacular wine. 2002 was the first vintage that Mike Dunn took over winemaking duties from his father and Dunn founder, Randy Dunn. 

1993 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($200)

Very vibrant and young—and this, after more than 30 years! Dead-classic Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet profile: precise, elegant, minerally, excellent length, and, above all, purely delicious. Also not fully evolved yet, which would probably make me feel bad for drinking it, had doing so had not been so goddamned delightful. Cannot get over how energetic and young this wine appeared. 

HARLAN ESTATE

I don’t spend a lot of time with new-release wines at this price point—hell, I don’t spend a lot of time with wines at this price point in general. But if you can, and are so inclined, this is one estate that is legitimately committed to doing things right. It will be very interesting to watch how winemaker Cory Empting continues to evolve these wines and the winery’s overall practices. 

2022 Harlan Estate Proprietary Red (NA)

A shy nose. Compact on the palate, and structured, but one can sense the plum and other dark fruits. Significant tannic grip at the end, but the excellent–almost extreme–length at the end is a major tell. A baby–and since this was tasted from barrel, ‘fetal’ is more appropriate–but the early signs are very promising. Empting said that he expected its ABV to end up in the 13.8-13.9 range. 

2020 Harlan Estate Proprietary Red ($1,400)

A somewhat less intense structure than the ‘22—no surprise, given the age and that the LNU Complex fires forced a very early harvest. Despite that, there’s a bit more flesh on these bones, which could be chalked up to evolution. Dark, brambly fruit and dark cherries. A good light/dark counterbalance between floral and tarry, earthy, black stone notes. Much to contemplate and enjoy. Chances are either you know this and love it or you don’t and won’t, owing to its price, but make no mistake: this is a very serious wine, and one whose contours and gestalt may surprise you. 

2006 Harlan Estate Proprietary Red ($1,200)

A Harlan made in a significantly riper style. (Empting took over as winemaker in 2008.) A generous, much sweeter nose, and much more sweet fruit on the palate—almost shading to notes of boysenberry pie or blueberry syrup. Immediate for sure, and significantly less acidity and structure than the more recent vintages, in a way that suggests it’s not just time that has tamed those edges. This is a very good version of this kind of wine. I just much prefer the Harlans from the 2020s. 

MACDONALD VINEYARDS

Alex and Graeme Macdonald only make one wine, from their family’s 15-acre plot in a particularly sweet spot of the To Kalon Vineyard. The eldest vines they farm (organically) are 70 years old, a remarkably advanced age for Napa Cabernet plantings. These wines disappear as soon as they’re released to their allocation list, and roughly triple in price by the time they show up, in miniscule quantities, at retail shops and resellers. Price and availability aside—which is, to be clear, a rather significant caveat!—these are top-notch, characterful wines, and a unique expression of To Kalon from a winery that has a unique and generations-long connection to that land. 

2021 Macdonald Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($800)

A very distinct expression of the vaunted To Kalon vineyard: dark ripe berries, black cherry, and fresh herbs, framed with a very interesting dark-chocolate hint of bitterness. Nose, at this stage, is fresh, sweet, loamy earth. Fascinating stuff. The word is, obviously, out on these highly-allocated wines that are made in exceedingly small quantities (525 cases were produced in 2021) and sell out in moments, but in this case the hype is deserved. 

MATTHIASSON

Jill and Steve Matthiasson are arguably doing more than anyone to move Napa towards organic and regenerative modes of viticulture. Matthiasson wines, and especially the reds, are almost defiantly compact, and far leaner than what we’ve long been trained to expect from Napa—but nonetheless pack a truly impressive complexity into each bottle. One of America’s most interesting wineries, and one senses that it’s still on the upswing. 

2022 Matthiasson Linda Vista Vineyard Chardonnay ($40)

From a(nother) vineyard that Matthiasson converted to organic. Lots of freshness and intensely energetic–this really wakes up your mouth. Lemons and lemon oil; intense minerality. From fruit picked at Brix that ranged from the high teens (!) to all of  22, and aged in neutral oak. 

2021 Matthiasson Michael Mara Chardonnay ($85)

Richer than the Linda Vista, as this one sees a bit of new oak. Still, the palate is rocky as hell—the impressions are overwhelmingly mineral and saline, and intensely and commendably so. From a site near the Sonoma coast studded with extremely rocky soils—and, as noted, those imprints are quite present in this wine. Matthiasson planted the vineyard in 2006. 13% alcohol. 

2020 Matthiasson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($90)

Very savory nose and palate, and quite interesting overall. Good, restrained classic Cabernet fruit amid a tangle of bay leaf and herbs. Good acidity, and small tannins. 95 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 percent Petit Verdot and 1 percent Cabernet Franc. Composed from seven vineyards spread throughout Napa, all of which are farmed by the estate.

2020 Matthiasson ‘Phoenix’ Cabernet ($140)

From a vineyard located behind the winery, which the couple painstakingly revived and converted to organic. Herby nose. Small tannins. Good currant fruit, excellent complexity, with a hint of sweetness at the end. I feel like I’m underselling this one, so let me say that this is one of Napa’s most fascinating Cabernets, and while it will likely shock the palates of those raised on the riper and oakier Napa wines of the ‘90s and beyond—well, something has to, no? 12% (!) ABV, and, to borrow a French term, quite digestible; an adjective that very rarely applies to Napa Cabernet. 

PHILIP TOGNI

I asked every winemaker and wine-adjacent person I interviewed in Napa what their benchmark back-vintage Napa Cabs were. Two wineries came up the most; indeed, they were mentioned in almost every response: Diamond Creek and Philip Togni. Togni—who is approaching his 99th birthday and still drives a car—has a history in Napa that stretches back to 1958(!), when he was the winemaker at Mayacamas. His time at Chappellet includes the 1969 vintage, which is frequently cited as one of America’s all-time greatest wines. (Chappellet had uncanny taste in winemakers: Cathy Corison made its wine in the ‘80’s.)

His estate vineyard, which along with its winery is now overseen by his daughter Lisa, is planted to the proportions of Chateau Lascombes, where Philip worked before he came to America: 82 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 percent Merlot, 2 percent Cabernet Franc, and 1 percent petit Verdot. The flagship Philip Togni Vineyard wines take serious time–think decades, not years–to show their best. But the also-excellent Tanbark Hill bottling can be enjoyed younger, though those benefit from time as well.

Back-vintages of the Philip Togni Vineyard wines require hunting but they can be found, and they are very much worth the effort. A 1992 I drank some years back remains one of the best American wines I’ve ever had.

2021 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($225)

Upon opening: a savory nose, and dark fruit lurking within a very earthy framework, but very tightly wound. By night three, the picture came into focus: bay leaf, black pepper, and dark fruits, amid an intense minerality and a serious tannic structure that still remained quite present. Needs significant time to resolve, as ever, but all of the ingredients necessary for the usual Togni brilliance are there. 

SMITH-MADRONE

The entire existence of this domaine, which Charlie and Stu Smith have run for more than 50 years, is a pleasing and utterly refreshing throwback to a more characterful and idiosyncratic era in Napa. Proudly small-scale in scope—it was a highlight when Stu made a jesting reference to their “shitty little winery”—and determinedly independent in every way. The Rieslings are very recommendable, and are a rare anomaly in Napa that actually works.

The current release of the spicy and savory estate Cabernet, which you can sometimes find for $60, is one of the best deals around for serious Napa Cab—indeed, if it’s not the best deal outright, I’d like to know one better. The Smiths' stubborn refusal to significantly hike the prices their longtime customers have been paying is deeply commendable. A note: the reds need serious time to come together. 

2021 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon ($69)

Smith-Madrone Cabs are made in a serious, structured, and even stern style, and this is no exception. Excellent acidity, red and blue berry characteristics, and the tannins are very prominent at this early stage. Needs a lot of time to come together, but the scaffolding and building materials are definitely there. 82 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 17 percent Cabernet Franc, and a touch of Merlot. 

2004 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon (NA)

Brooding, surprisingly saline, with a nice slug of acidity tightening the focus. Spicy black pepper notes come to the fore, while currant and black plum tangle with an intense minerality that stretches on and on at the finish. Intense and quite distinctive—a rare Napa Cab that generates intensity from savory notes, rather than fruit. With time, the minerality and structure recedes and the subtle darker-toned fruit comes out. Really good stuff—unique, and really compelling. 

2021 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Franc (NA) 

Smoky, earthy, and structured. Herby nose, and notes of thyme. Lots to like here, but this will not be ready for years. This was bottled when I visited, but as of this writing it hasn't yet been commercially released. 

2015 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay (NA)

Very minerally—those notes dominate as they intermingle with fresh apples and a great, lemony acidity. A hint of lemon pith-like bitterness adds complexity and interest. Impressive, and one of the biggest upside surprises of my time in Napa.  

SPOTTSWOODE

Low-key one of the more interesting wineries on the Valley floor, and winemaker Aron Winekauf is low-key one of the most thoughtful winemakers in Napa. It’s now run by the second generation of the Novak family, which began organically farming their vineyard in the ‘80’s, back when very few Napa wineries were doing that. Among the estate’s many other au courant farming practices, sheep graze the vineyards today.

I sometimes get the impression that Spottswoode is somewhat overlooked in Napa. But everything here is done right, and anyone serious about Napa Cabernet should know them. 

2021 Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon ($270)

85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Cabernet Franc, 5 percent Petit Verdot, all from estate fruit. A sweet nose, with hints of spice box. Obviously Cabernet-forward, in vibe and structure, but the violet note is a giveaway that this can only be Spottswoode. Blackberries, cedar, hints of cinnamon and clove, and a very refreshing acidity. 13.6% ABV; yes, Virginia, you can make fully-ripe Napa Cab from valley-floor fruit while staying well under 14%. Let this one rest a while. 

2021 Spottswoode Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon ($100)

The estate’s early-drinking/purchased fruit cuvée. Cedar and sweet cassis on the nose. Some tannins for sure, and a very classic framework and Cabernet flavor profile that, in this case, shades towards dark berries and currant, along with some tobacco-y tones. Serious, but also not at all out of place at a backyard barbecue. 

1984 Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon ($227)

Dusty nose—this is Rutherford fruit, all right. Midpalate is sour plum and lots of currant; hints of bitterness and dashes of violets add complexity and round out a very appealing package. The midpalate was somewhat hollow upon opening, but it filled out quickly with a decant. Say it with me: Do. Not. Be. Afraid. To. Decant. Old. Wine.