Wine & Spirits - December 2020 - 59

YEAR'S BEST US CABERNETS & BLENDS
91 | Crosby Roamann

$135

2015 Napa Valley Crosby's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ^ Tight and floral, this wine
hasn't shed its reductive notes (a hint of
green onion in the scent, a tarriness in the
tannins). But that reduction also contributes
to its dynamic feel, bold, lush and intense
with lasting cherry flavors. Let this rest in
your cellar, or in a decanter, before serving
with roast duck. - J.G. §
521775

91 | Louis M. Martini

521709
$43

2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
(Best Buy) ^ The full-on blackness of this
cabernet's fruit makes it a luscious burger
wine-one panelist placed it with the burger
with bone marrow at Goose & Gander in St.
Helena. The wine is open and heady, the fruit
ripened to dark plum and fig flavors. - J.G. §
521710
521565

91 | Far Niente

$145

2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ^
A sleek cabernet, this blends Far Niente's
Oakville fruit with grapes from Rutherford,
St. Helena and Calistoga. The wine developed its velvety texture over the course of
17 months in French oak barrels (65 percent
new), and there's a quiet back-and-forth
between the oak and the fruit that keeps it
dynamic. Decant it for charcuterie. - J.G. §

521781

91 | Louis M. Martini

$100

2016 Napa Valley Cypress Ranch Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon ^ This is a traditional
style of Napa Valley cabernet from the eastern hills, a wine of graceful richness rather
than heft and power. The red-cherry fruit has
an ironlike, sanguine note as well as a beetlike earthiness, while the star-anise scent may
take you to Hunan beef. - J.G. §

91 | Hoopes

$50

91 | Waterstone

$36

2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
(Best Buy) ^ Bursting with the flavor of summer cherries, this is a big wine crafted with
substantial oak influence. The fruit feels
fresh, even as there's a touch of blackberry
syrup at the intersection of the texture and
flavor. Ready to drink now, with a decant,
this is built for any grilled meats. - J.G. §
519511
2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
(Best Buy) ^ A savory cabernet, this is long on
zesty black-currant flavor and rich with the
spiciness of grape skins, adding some resonance to the finish. It's an impressive value
from Anders-Lane Artisan Wines, a group
founded by Brent Shortridge in 2000, after 12
years at Buena Vista, where he served as marketing director. (W&S 4/20; 636 cases) -J.G. §
518807

90 | Baldacci

$135

90 | Keenan

$58

2016 Napa Valley Ruppert Cabernet Sauvignon ^ It takes a while for this wine to shed
its reductive green-onion character, its massive oak presence and equally massive fruit.
Give it plenty of air and you'll slowly reveal
a spicy, intriguingly cool Napa Valley cabernet. It grows at Rolando Herrera's vineyard in
Coombsville, east of the town of Napa, where
the grape tannins mature to cacao-nib richness without losing their floral tension. Built
to cellar. -J.G. (W&S 2/20) §
521583
2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ^
With its sweet cherry spice and supple
espresso-roast tannins, this is a rich, round
cabernet with density and length. Pour it
while grilling a sirloin steak. - J.G. §

90 | J. McClelland

$50

90 | Paraduxx

$85

90 | Red Mare

$68

90 | Stags' Leap Winery

$60

2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ^
This wine's dark intensity is built on the flavor richness of fruity mushrooms and the
chewy textures of ironlike tannins. It needs
cellar time to bring the fruit forward. - J.G. §
521571
2017 Napa Valley Cork Tree Vineyard ^
Focused on malbec and cabernet sauvignon
from an estate vineyard in Oak Knoll, this
cherry-scented blend is shaped by its time in
French oak barrels (50 percent new), building a plump texture and highlights of apricot leather. It's savory, with notes of lavender
and tobacco, and woodsy tannins-suited to
grilled quail or roast squab. - J.G. §
521552
2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ^
Clean and bright, this wine offers cool jasmine, thyme and vegetal edges to its simple
black fruit. Dark-chocolate tannins ground
the finish. For roast lamb. - J.G. §
520271
2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ^
Fresh, red-fruited and clean, this wine's
juicy cherry flavors carry straight past the
espresso-like tannins. It's bright, with an
undertone of smoke, easy to enjoy alongside pepper-crusted duck. -J.G. (W&S 6/20) §

521779

90 | William Hill

$65

2016 Napa Valley Benchland Series Cabernet Sauvignon ^ Ripe and saturated with
plum and anise flavors, this wine is firm and
WINE & SPIRITS

DECEMBER 2020

https://www.louismartini.com/wines/napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon-2017 https://www.jmcclellandcellars.com/wines https://www.farniente.com/wines/2018-far-niente-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon https://www.louismartini.com/wine-shop/cypressranch-2016 https://www.williamhillestate.com/wines/benchland-series/2016-benchland-napa-valley-cabsauv

Wine & Spirits - December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - December 2020