2022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSAYountville

Facets

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 20222022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Precision is the language Julien Fayard speaks fluently, and in Facets 2022, he’s written a love letter to Napa’s diversity. The wine captures the essence of Napa Valley, standing as a polished reflection of the region’s diverse terroirs, revealing balance over excess. It’s a wine that captures the power of California sun and the restraint of French discipline in perfect, seamless motion.

For Fayard, crafting Facets is less about blending fruit than sculpting dimension. Sourced from the cool precision of Oak Knoll and the structured gravitas of Yountville, the 2022 vintage draws on contrasting terroirs to create harmony. His training at Château Lafite Rothschild and Quintessa informs a philosophy of finding an equilibrium between opulence and restraint, ripeness and poise.

Aged for 20 months in French oak, the 2022 Facets reveals depth without heaviness. It is a modern Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that’s refined, confident, and enduring. For collectors and casual enthusiasts alike, it’s a wine that defines where Napa Cabernet is headed: elegant, deliberate, and undeniably world-class.

Facets
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2022

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“The Gemstone estate vineyard spans 6.5 hectares (16 acres) on the western benches of Yountville. Still, Facets is Gemstone’s non-estate wine, crafted from carefully selected vineyards in Yountville and Oak Knoll by winemaker Julien Fayard, who took the helm in 2021. The 2022 Facets is a crowd-pleaser with upfront appeal, offering heady aromas of violets, rose petals, sweet candied red berry fruit, and dusty minerals. The velvety, fine-grained tannins are seamlessly integrated on the palate, giving the wine a polished texture. Full-bodied and rich, it features expressive, balanced cedarwood sweetness and finishes with notes of crushed cacao nibs. Grapes are gently pressed directly into barrels for fermentation and aged up to 18 months in 40% new French oak. The 2022 vintage is approachable now and perfect for drinking, while the more structured 2021s continue to develop, delivering a harmonious balance of richness, elegance, and immediate gratification.”

95 Points

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtMalbecNapaUSAYountville

Laird

Malbec 2018
Flat Rock Vineyard
Napa Valley

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

A showstopper at our recent tasting, Laird’s 2018 Flat Rock Vineyard Malbec captures the rare moment when power and precision meet in perfect harmony. Drawn from the volcanic soils of Yountville’s eastern edge, this wine channels its pristine origins. It’s a wine that reflects not only the essence of place but also the discipline of a family that’s been perfecting the art of balance for generations.

From vineyard to cellar, every step of this wine’s creation reflects intent. The fruit was harvested at optimal ripeness, then aged for 21 months in French oak. What emerges is Malbec reimagined through a Napa lens: concentrated and full-bodied, yet balanced by refinement and lift. It’s the kind of craftsmanship that transforms a varietal curiosity into something enduring.

Now fully realized after five years in bottle, the 2018 Flat Rock Vineyard Malbec shows the seamless integration of time and terroir. The structure is commanding, yet the fruit remains luminous and pure, framed by fine French oak and a finish that lingers with mineral precision. Every element is in perfect balance, as if the wine has settled into its natural rhythm after years of quiet evolution.

Laird
Malbec 2018
Flat Rock Vineyard
Napa Valley
Retails at: $65

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“The 2018 Laird Flat Rock Ranch Malbec from Napa Valley is a beautiful domestic Malbec, showing excellent concentration and balance. The nose reveals aromas of wild berry cobbler, English rose petals, Chambord liqueur, and dried herbs. On the palate, it delivers juicy, sweet black raspberries and cassis, supported by satiny tannins and black tea on the back-end. The finish is long and mouth-quenching, with bright acidity. The intense fruit and balanced structure will allow this wine to evolve well over the next decade, though it’s approachable now.”

94 points

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

Picayune

Sauvignon Blanc
Napa & Sonoma 2024

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

Some wines make an entrance, while this one makes an impression. The 2024 Picayune Napa/Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t need power to command attention; it draws you in with precision. Its charm lies in contrast: clarity rather than flash, texture instead of weight. This is California fruit expressed with European poise: subtle, shimmering, and unforgettable.

Behind that calm exterior lies remarkable intent. Winemaker Claire Ducrocq Weinkauf harvests early, capturing the brightness of dawn before the valley’s heat softens the fruit. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc that thrives on energy rather than ripeness: crisp and finely tuned, with an alcohol level of just 13.1%. Every decision reflects restraint, transforming potential exuberance into elegance.

Fermentation was split between stainless steel for clarity and neutral French oak for subtle weight, a decision that defines the wine’s remarkable balance. The oak imparts no overt flavor, only a silken texture that frames its crystalline acidity. The wine feels both poised and refreshing: proof that restraint, when executed with this kind of technical precision, can be as thrilling as opulence.

Picayune
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa & Sonoma 2024

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“The Picayune 2024 Sauvignon Blanc bursts from the glass with vivid aromas of gooseberry, lime zest, and passion fruit, balanced by subtle notes of fresh-cut grass and green herbs. On the palate, the wine is pure, bright, and zesty, showcasing crisp acidity that complements flavors of tropical fruit, citrus, and green melon. A touch of minerality and a hint of grapefruit pith lend structure and lift, creating a style reminiscent of New Zealand’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, but with California’s hallmark of sun-kissed, ripe fruit. The finish is clean, refreshing, and vibrant, leaving a lingering impression.”

94 Points

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Anthem

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

Perched on the rugged slopes of Mount Veeder, where vines cling to fractured rock, Anthem’s 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was born in defiance of gravity. It’s a wine forged by extremes: sunlight and shadow, warmth and wind, precision and power. What emerges is a wine of profound beauty, with dark and muscular yet polished to a fine sheen, its elegance revealed through structure, harmony, and quiet confidence.

Under the direction of acclaimed winemaker Jeff Ames, every decision at Anthem is made with confidence and patience. Having honed his craft alongside icons like Thomas Brown, Ames channels that experience into a style defined by purity and restraint, revealing a wine that feels sculpted, as though every contour has been carved by intent. 

For the 2021 vintage, Jeff coaxed out the vineyard’s most expressive fruit: dense yet detailed, layered with mountain spice, graphite, and violets. Already earning high praise, it drinks beautifully now, but its real magic will unfold over a decade or more. Whether savored tonight or cellared for tomorrow, this is Cabernet that carries the voice of the mountain and the patience of the ages.

Anthem
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021
Retails at: $130

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“The 2021 Anthem Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon opens with inviting aromas of black cherries and ripe currants, layered with hints of crushed graphite, violets before folding in subtle hints of loamy earth and warm spices which add wonderful complexity. The palate is medium to full and finely structured, with firm tannins supporting a core of dark fruit and mocha nuances which lingers through the finish Excellent today, but also offers a promising graceful evolution with cellaring.”

94 Points

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaPinot NoirSonoma CoastUSA

Aston

Pinot Noir 
Sonoma Coast 2022

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Perched on the remote ridgelines of Annapolis, where redwoods meet ocean fog, Aston Estate has long stood as one of the Sonoma Coast’s wild frontiers. Two decades after its founding, Aston Estate feels reborn. Once a collaboration between three of Napa’s most revered figures, it now thrives under the singular vision of Thomas Rivers Brown. His 2022 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir channels the wisdom of maturity and the freshness of rediscovery. 

Drawn entirely from the estate’s 12-acre vineyard in the far western reaches of Sonoma, the 2022 vintage captures the essence of Annapolis itself: cool air, fractured soils, and relentless wind. Here, vines root deep into ancient marine sediment, yielding fruit of uncommon purity and tension. 

What emerges in 2022 is not merely a reflection of the site but of stewardship. Brown’s approach favors patience over intervention, allowing the wine to unfold in graceful precision. Each element from fruit, spice, and structure moves in balance, revealing a Pinot Noir that feels as timeless as the land it comes from. 

Aston
Pinot Noir 
Sonoma Coast 2022

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“A nearly opaque red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is flush with aromas of black cherries, a bit of plum, eucalyptus, sweet tobacco, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, it has more structure but is light on its feet for the vintage, with a ripe, sunny feel and a long finish. Drink 2026-2046.”

96 Points

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

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

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

After years of quiet evolution in the cellar, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is finally revealing the full measure of its power and grace. What was once tightly coiled and brooding has unfurled into a symphony of mountain fruit, fine tannin, and haunting perfume. The wine offers a mesmerizing reminder of what patience can achieve in the hands of a master.

100pt winemaker Chris Carpenter has spent more than two decades decoding the language of Napa’s mountain vineyards, and Mt. Brave is among his most eloquent expressions. From the steep, fractured slopes of Mt. Veeder, he coaxes fruit that balances density with lift, structure with purity. The 2019 reveals that duality: a wine of formidable strength that moves with the grace of a dancer.

Now, with time having sculpted its edges to perfection, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet stands at its pinnacle. It opens with an arresting purity, unfolding in layers before settling into a finish that seems to stretch toward the horizon. Mt. Brave’s 2019 vintage is mountain Cabernet at its most complete: soulful, sophisticated, and utterly compelling.  

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019
Retails at: $125

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“Showcasing the lovely freshness of high-elevation Mt Veeder grapes. Vivid boysenberry and mulberry fruits give way to mountain herbs, dusty minerals and rich toasty cedar. A compact wine revealing black-fruited flavours and savoury herbal nuances alongside sculpted tannins that are pixelated and mouthcoating. An impressively long finish of iron shavings, baked agave and dried chaparral.”

97 Points

2022 Ovid Experiment No. N7.2 Napa Valley

2022 Ovid Experiment No. N7.2 Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

Ovid

Experiment No. N7.2
Napa Valley, 2022

2022 Ovid Experiment No. N7.2 Napa Valley

At OVID, winemaking has always existed on the edge of science and poetry. The 2022 Experiment No. N7.2 embodies that balance, translating raw mountain intensity into fluid grace. Crafted from fruit grown on Pritchard Hill, this wine channels volcanic soils, unrelenting sun, and meticulous viticultural precision into a Cabernet blend that feels both sculpted and spontaneous, bringing a rare equilibrium of intellect and instinct.

Winemaker Austin Peterson, drawing on mentorship from Andy Erickson and Michel Rolland, explores how subtle variations in elevation and canopy height can reshape a wine’s voice. The wine spent 20 months in French oak, allowing the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon to merge gracefully with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The blend reveals OVID’s signature balance between extraction and elegance, where intensity never overshadows finesse.

Inspired by the Roman poet Ovid, celebrated for his transformative “Metamorphoses,” the winery embraces a philosophy of innovative exploration. Every vintage from OVID is a conversation with nature, and N7.2 feels like its most eloquent reply yet. This is OVID at its most articulate: bold, cerebral, and effortlessly beautiful.

Ovid
Experiment No. N7.2
Napa Valley, 2022
Retails at: $225

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“The 2022 Ovid Experiment No. N7.2 is a compelling Napa Valley red, blending Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc and lower percentages of Merlot and Petit Verdot, sourced from high-elevation Pritchard Hill vineyards. On the nose, it blooms with precise layers of red currants and spiced black plum, supported by cedar, warm baking spices, wet-stone minerality, cocoa powder, and a dusting of white pepper, revealing an intricate aromatic profile. The palate delivers sweet blackberries with bright, intensely flavored fruit that maintains a very linear, focused foundation. Firm yet satiny tannins provide structure without aggression, leading to a long, elegant finish that echoes the nose’s complexity. This wine possesses genuine depth and balance, promising evolution over the next 15+ years, gaining further complexity.”

95 points

2021 Grand Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2021 Grand Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Grand Napa

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Grand Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Grand Napa’s 2021 Reserve Cabernet is a reminder that power, when guided by grace, leaves the most profound impression. The wine embodies the quiet confidence of a classic vintage, defined by clarity, energy, and poise. Its core of Cabernet Sauvignon delivers precision and depth, while Cabernet Franc contributes lifted florals, and Merlot softens the edges with its signature plushness, resulting in a wine that feels sculpted rather than forced.

 

Drawn from premier sites across Rutherford, Calistoga, and the broader Napa Valley, the 2021 Reserve captures the essence of each terroir in a single, harmonized voice. Under Stéphane Vivier’s steady hand, these elements are woven together with restraint and precision, creating a wine that reflects both the diversity of Napa and the unity of a master’s touch.

Aged twenty-two months in fine French oak, the 2021 Reserve reveals both pedigree and purpose. The texture is silken yet structured, the finish long and deliberate. Vivier’s craftsmanship ensures it will age with poise, deepening in nuance and complexity over time. For collectors seeking the intersection of authenticity, longevity, and value, few Cabernets express Napa’s modern elegance as confidently as this one.

Grand Napa
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021
Retails at: $110

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“Winemaker Stéphane Vivier matures this Cabernet in 50% new French oak for 22 months. Fragrant dusty earth minerals, cranberry fruit laced with cinnamon spices, and hints of dried rosemary and sage. Medium-bodied with gentle tannins that glide to a spicy finish with blood orange acidity and hints of clove and cassis.”

92 Points

2018 Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena

2018 Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaSt. HelenaUSA

Leto

Exceptional Selection
Cabernet Sauvignon
Saint Helena 2018

2018 Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena

Some of Napa’s most extraordinary wines are born far from the spotlight. The 2018 Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a small, unassuming vineyard on Pratt Avenue in St. Helena, where half-century-old vines yield fruit of remarkable depth. This is not a wine made for acclaim, but for integrity: a deeply personal statement from a veteran winemaker who understands that restraint, time, and patience reveal more than ambition ever could.

From these weathered vines comes fruit that speaks in fine detail rather than volume. The 2018 vintage captures St. Helena’s subtle contrasts of warm valley-floor ripeness layered over cool evening structure. Twenty-one months in French oak added definition, not disguise. It’s a Cabernet that feels sculpted by nature, not built by human hands.

After years of quiet rest, the 2018 Exceptional Selection feels perfectly composed, its elements aligned. The fruit hums with energy, the tannins have softened into velvet, and the finish stretches on with calm assurance. It’s a rare opportunity to experience a wine not just at its peak but in its prime.

Leto
Exceptional Selection
Cabernet Sauvignon
Saint Helena 2018
Retails at: $125

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“The Leto 2018 Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon shines with opulence and elegance, beginning with aromas of blooming lavender, blackberries, plums, dark chocolate, cloves, cedar, and sage. On the palate, the wine has concentrated flavors with depth and length, ranging from fresh black fruits, flourless dark chocolate cake, savory notes, allspice, and graphite. The finish is long and seamless, and the wine is stunning at the present moment and shows indications of a wine capable of extended aging in the cellar.” 

97 Points

2021 The Mascot Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2021 The Mascot Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

The Mascot

Proprietary Red
Napa Valley 2021

2021 The Mascot Proprietary Red Napa Valley

Few wines manage to balance prestige with accessibility as seamlessly as Will Harlan’s The Mascot. Born from the younger vines of Napa’s most revered estates, it offers a glimpse into the extraordinary and a rare opportunity to taste the DNA of Harlan, BOND, and Promontory in a form that’s vivid, expressive, and alive.

Every detail of The Mascot is shaped by its remarkable provenance. The fruit is drawn from parcels that, while younger, share the same meticulous farming, low yields, and uncompromising standards as their iconic parent estates. It is at once a reflection of its iconic lineage and a celebration of potential, capturing the raw energy of terroir before it matures into legend.

With its seamless integration of fruit, structure, and nuance, The Mascot achieves a level of refinement that belies its price. The 2021 vintage captures the essence of the year: vibrant yet composed, generous yet finely etched, offering an experience that is both intellectually engaging and deeply pleasurable. It’s a wine that doesn’t simply hint at greatness, but delivers it. 

The Mascot
Proprietary Red
Napa Valley 2021

Your Price: $190

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“The 2021 Mascot Proprietary Red from Napa Valley emerges as a compelling blend, showcasing the estate’s younger vines with remarkable depth and precision. On the nose, it unfolds layers of blackberry pie and red currants, accented by violets, crushed rocks, menthol, and a hint of cocoa powder, all integrated seamlessly. The palate mirrors this intensity, dominated by black currants, chocolate-covered cherries, and kirsch, with silky tannins framing a supple mouthfeel and sweet fruit. Concentration defines the core, yet opulent fruit finds equilibrium through firm tension, avoiding heaviness. This wine’s structure suggests seamless evolution, with bright acidity carrying through a persistent finish marked by mineral notes and subtle spice. Drink now for its vibrancy or cellar through 2035-2040 for added complexity. A standout effort from the Harlan family.”

95 Points