2023 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2023 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

Favia

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

With a 98-point affirmation, Favia’s 2023 Napa Valley Cabernet stands as a clear statement of intent. Andy Erickson’s aim is direct: to bring Coombsville and Oakville together not as opposites, but as complements. Coombsville contributes freshness and mineral tension; Oakville delivers depth and structure. The result is a composed expression that captures Napa in full scale and proportion.

This is not blending for effect. It is calibration. Coombsville’s edge tightens the spine, carving a clean line through the wine’s core, while Oakville provides weight and gravitational pull. The structure feels deliberate and exact, with each element measured and placed with precision. Nothing drifts beyond its frame.

The proportions reinforce that design. Seventy-six percent Cabernet Sauvignon establishes foundation and breadth. Twenty-one percent Cabernet Franc introduces lift, definition, and structural tension, with Petit Verdot completing the architecture. After careful tannin extraction, the wine matures for twenty months in French oak, building depth without softening its lines. The final impression is complete and resolved, powerful yet controlled, undeniably Favia.

Favia
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023

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“In a new beginning for Favia, an equal blend of Coombsville and Oakville represents the best of both appellations—the fresh, savory, mineral edge of the former intertwining with the deep flavor and floral lift of the latter. Layers of fruit, supported by graphite, dried herbs, flowers and spices, lead to a luscious yet refined palate with finely tuned tannins and a bright line of acidity. A complete, balanced expression of Napa. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 21% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. Excellent. Drink or hold.”

98 Points

2022 Salus Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate

260313 2022 Salus Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Salus

Cabernet Sauvignon
by Staglin Family Vineyard
Rutherford Estate 2022

2022 Salus Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate

 

Some estates define a place so completely that their story becomes inseparable from the soil itself. On the southwestern edge of Rutherford, where a century and a half of viticultural history lies layered in gravel and clay, the Staglin family continues a legacy first planted in the 1860s. Each vintage conveys that sense of place, making it unmistakably Staglin and setting the bar for Rutherford excellence.

At the helm is winemaker Fredrik Johansson, whose precision and judicious winemaking define the modern Staglin style. Trained under Thomas Rivers Brown and guided by vineyard maestro David Abreu, Johansson shapes the estate’s organically farmed fruit into a Cabernet Sauvignon that radiates purity and structure.

Power meets intention in this wine. Beneath its layers of fruit lies a more profound generosity: the Staglin family’s ongoing commitment to healing the mind. Through One Mind, each bottle of Salus extends that mission, bridging the worlds of fine wine and philanthropy with rare authenticity while donating 100% of its profits. In the Staglin tradition, greatness is measured not only by acclaim but also by compassion. Bravo!

Salus
Cabernet Sauvignon
by Staglin Family Vineyard
Rutherford Estate 2022

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“Staglin Salus Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2022: This Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon displays a deep ruby color with impressive concentration. The nose reveals black and blue fruits, graphite, pipe tobacco, crushed stone, and red rose petals, offering complexity without excess. On the palate, blackberries and boysenberries dominate, supported by a deep, lush, and powerful structure. The oak is balanced and integrated, adding depth rather than overwhelming the fruit. Intense and concentrated, it finishes long and elegant, with fine tannins suggesting 15-20 years of evolution. A strong effort from Staglin. Drink 2026-2042.”

96 Points

2016 The Grade Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard Calistoga

2016 The Grade Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard Calistoga

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSA

The Grade

Cabernet Sauvignon
Winfield Vineyard
Calistoga 2016

2016 The Grade Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard Calistoga

Nearly a decade has passed since the fruit for this wine came in, and time has only sharpened its voice. The Grade’s 2016 Winfield Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a composed, confident expression of Calistoga, shaped by an exceptional vintage and the measured hand of Thomas Rivers Brown. It is a wine that has fully grown into itself, revealing structure and authority.

Winfield Vineyard occupies a rare position in Calistoga, offering a level of definition and consistency more often associated with Napa’s most celebrated sites. Its interplay of elevation, parcel diversity, and natural balance gives the vineyard a pedigree that seasoned Cabernet drinkers immediately recognize and respect.

The 2016 Winfield Vineyard Cabernet now enters a compelling window, where maturity and vitality converge. Its structure remains intact, its energy undiminished, and its expression unmistakably clear. For those who value Cabernet at this stage, it offers the pleasure of readiness today alongside the promise of graceful evolution ahead.

The Grade
Cabernet Sauvignon
Winfield Vineyard
Calistoga 2016
Retails at: $130

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“Coming from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from the hands of winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This deep purple-colored effort boasts tons of blueberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant style on the palate. It has the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, ripe, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, and is already hard to resist.”

94 Points

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

High on Mt. Veeder, where vineyards cling to fractured slopes and fog drifts beneath the canopy, Mt. Brave finds its voice. The 2021 Cabernet rises from this unforgiving terrain, shaped by elevation, exposure, and time rather than convenience. What emerges is a wine of uncommon gravity, carrying the mountain’s tension and resolve through every layer.

Chris Carpenter guides that expression with the authority of experience, drawing on decades spent understanding Napa’s most demanding mountain vineyards. At Mt. Brave, his approach balances discipline with intuition, allowing the intensity of Mt. Veeder fruit to speak without losing precision. Thoughtful choices in the vineyard and cellar bring structure into proportion, refining the mountain’s natural edge rather than softening it.

The 2021 vintage captures Mt. Brave at a moment when structure and harmony fully align. Dense fruit, firm architecture, and underlying freshness point to a long, measured evolution in bottle, even as the wine already shows composure and depth. This is mountain Cabernet built with patience in mind, rewarding contemplation today and cellaring in the years ahead.

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021
Retails at: $125

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“A fabulous wine of focus and polish with very fine tannins that caress your palate and give great length to the finish. Medium to full body. The aromas of violets and currants are so beautiful. Dreamy. Best ever? A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2% merlot, 1% malbec and 1% petit verdot. A total of 3830 cases produced. Give it three to four years to soften.”

99 Points

2022 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2022 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

Duckhorn

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2022

2022 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

From its earliest days, Duckhorn Vineyards has approached Napa Valley Cabernet not as a showpiece, but as a discipline. The 2022 vintage carries that philosophy forward, shaped by decades of experience and a conviction that greatness lies in proportion. Its strength comes from a deliberate balance of mountain and valley-floor fruit, yielding a wine that feels assured, composed, and unmistakably rooted in place.

That balance is established well before the cellar. By drawing from both mountain and valley-floor vineyards, the blend captures Napa Valley’s natural balance between structure and generosity. Mountain fruit brings linear intensity and aromatic lift, while valley-floor sites contribute breadth and texture. Together, they form a cohesive expression that feels layered and dimensional.

In the glass, the wine offers both immediacy and promise. Its structure and harmony invite enjoyment now, while its depth and freshness point to a long, measured evolution in the cellar. Every element feels deliberate, resulting in a wine that is authentic, grounded, and deeply satisfying from first impression through the finish.

Duckhorn
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2022
Retails at: $80

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“Bright and refined with aromas of blackberries, cassis, fresh tobacco, crushed stones and dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and polished with fine tannins and vibrant fruit. Defined and balanced with a touch of minerality. Drink or hold.” 

92 Points

2022 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

2022 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSAZinfandel

Florence

Reserve Zinfandel
Rockpile 2022
Sonoma County

2022 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

High above the fog line, Rockpile vines live in a state of constant exposure, where elevation and wind shape the season and strip away excess. The 2022 Florence Vineyard Reserve Zinfandel captures that environment, translating altitude into focus and rugged terrain into precision. It is Zinfandel elevated in both expression and intent.

At this elevation, the Florence Vineyard rises above the densest valley fog while remaining shaped by strong, cooling winds. These conditions extend the growing season, thicken skins, and concentrate flavor without sacrificing freshness. In 2022, that balance yielded fruit of remarkable intensity and definition, carrying the vineyard’s natural rigor directly into the wine.

What ultimately defines the vintage is its energy. Concentrated fruit moves in step with lift and structure, creating a Zinfandel that feels dynamic rather than dense. Each sip bears the imprint of wind and altitude, delivering power with control and a finish that remains vivid, focused, and assured.

Florence
Reserve Zinfandel
Rockpile 2022
Sonoma County
Retails at: $60

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“Deep, dark and very spicy, this black-fruited Zin displays aromas of blackberry and plum on the nose. These give way to flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate and licorice that wash across the palate with powerful, ageworthy tannins. Lay this down for a few years, then enjoy with barbecued pork ribs.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection

2013 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2013 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Inglenook

Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford 2013

2013 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

When Philippe Bascaules shifted his focus from Château Margaux to Inglenook, the objective was not to replicate Bordeaux style, but to apply Bordeaux standards. The 2013 Inglenook Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is a direct expression of that discipline, defined by precision, hierarchy, and a deliberate resistance to excess.

That intent is most evident in the wine’s construction. Estate-grown fruit is drawn from the finest Cabernet Sauvignon lots remaining after Inglenook’s Rubicon blend is finalized, placing this bottling squarely within the estate’s internal hierarchy. It is shaped by the same uncompromising criteria that govern Inglenook’s flagship wine, where balance and longevity are essential, not optional.

The 2013 growing season provided ideal conditions to realize that vision. A dry, even year delivered fruit with natural concentration, allowing the blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, supported by Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, to come together with definition. Eighteen months in oak unified the structure, reinforcing a sense of proportion and setting the wine firmly on a path of long, measured evolution.

Inglenook
Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford 2013

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“The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is very fine. It remains young and quite vibrant, with lovely floral overtones that add freshness throughout. This mid-weight, energetic Cabernet is terrific. In time, it may surpass the Rubicon, given its greater freshness. This is a fine showing. Drink 2023 – 2033.”

95 Points

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNorth CoastProprietary RedSonoma ValleyUSA

Benessere

Phenomenon Red
North Coast 2021

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

California’s leading wineries have long excelled at reinterpretation, and the 2021 Phenomenon stands as a clear expression of that strength. Inspired by Italian tradition yet shaped by North Coast conditions, it brings together Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon in a way that feels instinctive rather. Phenomenon is not an homage. It is a statement of how seamlessly Old World sensibility can take root in California soil.

That confidence reflects a house philosophy grounded in tradition and disciplined execution at Benessere Vineyards. Each variety is vinified independently, preserving its natural character before being assembled with intention. Complexity is built without blur, balance achieved through patience and proportion rather than formula.

In the glass, the blend finds harmony. Sangiovese brings lift and red-fruited tension, Merlot adds breadth and texture, Syrah deepens the mid-palate, and Cabernet Sauvignon anchors the structure. Each element remains distinct, yet the whole moves as one, delivering a North Coast red that feels composed, versatile, and deeply satisfying.

Benessere
Phenomenon Red
North Coast 2021
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“The Benessere 2021 Phenomenon Red Wine from the North Coast opens with layered aromatics of ripe black cherry, blackberry compote, blueberry, cocoa, espresso, dried herbs, and cedar. On the palate, it offers plums, cherries, cassis, toasted oak, and sweet and savory spices that co-mingle and complement each other. These flavors are balanced by bright acidity and subtle earthiness, resulting in a supple mid-palate and plush mouthfeel that leads to a harmonious finish.”

93 Points

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Columbia ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedUSAWashington State

Pirouette

Proprietary Red
Columbia Valley 2021

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

The Pirouette 2021 Columbia Valley Red is engineered for balance, translating some of Washington’s most respected vineyard sites into a wine of measured structure and authority. Its architecture is defined by line and proportion, shaped by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, then refined through extended time in French oak, allowing its depth to emerge.

Rooted in Columbia Valley fruit yet informed by classical Bordeaux proportions, the blend emphasizes structure and freshness. Cabernet Sauvignon provides line and backbone, Merlot softens the edges, and the supporting varieties add nuance, creating a wine that favors articulation at every stage.

Compelling from the outset, the 2021 Pirouette is nevertheless built with time in mind. Its balance and structure suggest a long, graceful evolution, as layers continue to knit and deepen. It is a wine that offers immediate pleasure while promising greater complexity for those willing to follow its arc in the cellar.

Pirouette
Proprietary Red
Columbia Valley 2021
Retails at: $75

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“The otherworldly 2021 Long Shadows Pirouette Red Wine is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon with 36% Merlot and the remainder Malbec and Petit Verdot. Very dark in the glass, this offers alluring black florals on the nose with tar, tobacco leaf, mocha, anise and shades of dark chocolate shavings. The stunning aromatics are simply head-turning. The palate is ultra-refined offering a seamless drinking experience. This is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted since its inception back in 2003.”

98 Points

2023 Beaux Freres Chardonnay Willamette Valley

2023 Beaux Freres Chardonnay Willamette Valley

with No Comment $80-$90Kevin VogtOregonUSAWillamette Valley

Beaux Frères

Chardonnay 2023
Willamette Valley

2023 Beaux Freres Chardonnay Willamette Valley

The 2023 Beaux Frères Chardonnay reads like a topographic map of the Willamette Valley, each line drawn with intention. It captures the region’s cool poise and underlying energy in a distinctive way, translating site into sensation. This is a Chardonnay defined by articulation, where freshness and depth move together without compromise.

That articulation emerges from a deliberate mosaic of vineyards rather than a single voice. Fruit from Doration, the Beaux Frères Estate, and Star Mooring spans the Chehalem Mountains and Ribbon Ridge AVAs, uniting elevation, exposure, and soil nuance into a coherent whole. Each site adds its own inflection, creating a wine that feels layered and dimensional while remaining firmly centered.

In the cellar, the same approach guides every decision. Whole-cluster pressing and ambient yeast fermentation set the tone from the outset, while time in French oak builds texture without softening the wine’s edges. A final period in stainless steel sharpens line and preserves lift, carrying the Chardonnay to a finish marked by poise, persistence, and confidence.

Beaux Frères
Chardonnay 2023
Willamette Valley

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“So layered, textural, minerally and savory in character. This offers brilliant acidity, lemon zest and chalky minerals with light almond and toast nuances. A slight flinty, reductive aroma adds an enticing edge, then the palate delivers lemon curd, marzipan and hazelnuts that expand on the finish. Drink now or hold.”

97 Points