Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Reviews

Juicy, tempting red and black fruit flavors follow a minty nose of Thai basil and raspberries in this lightly tannic but full-bodied wine. An almost silky texture and easy drinkability make it inviting to sip.

Aromas of blackcurrants, dried herbs and suede. Medium-to full-bodied with nice transparency. Fine tannins. Bright acidity helps to keep things lively. Drink now.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve is also incredible, and given the large quantities here, it should be relatively easy to find. Lots of currants, tobacco, cedar, and dried herb notes emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with nicely integrated oak, sweet tannins, and a great finish. Hats off to winemaker Stephanie Putnam for making such an impressive wine at this price point and quantity. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.

Ripe and welcoming, with waves of red currant preserves and plum sauce rolling through, wrapped with red licorice and infused with a fruitcake note on the finish. Features a lightly toasty frame that lets the fruit hold center stage. Drink now through 2026. -JM

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection is a blend taken from 14 sites across the valley. Succulent red cherry, spice, mocha and new leather are all kicked up in this juicy, mid-weight offering. The Reserve Selection is a terrific introduction to these wines.

-- Antonio Galloni

Having spent 19 months in 37% French oak, this Raymond reserve includes grapes harvested from Oakville, Rutherford, and St. Helena and delivers a potent glassful of voluptuous spice-dusted blackberry fruit, a hint of caramel and cocoa nibs. 

Brawny, fleshy and full bodied, as well as blended with 3% Petit Verdot, this red sizzles in black cherry, cassis and brown sugar. Integrated tannins contribute support and additional power, as a length of toasted oak weighs in. -Virginie Boone

Ripe and welcoming, with waves of red currant preserves and plum sauce rolling through, wrapped with red licorice and infused with a fruitcake note on the finish. Features a lightly toasty frame that lets the fruit hold center stage. Drink now through 2026. -JM

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, coming from more than 20 different sites, with 29% coming from estate vineyards in St. Helena and Rutherford. It was aged in French oak barrels, 37% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rocks up with ready-for-business scents of blackcurrant pastilles, redcurrant jelly and Morello cherries with hints of dried Provence herbs, pencil shavings and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with crunchy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and savory. -Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Another outstanding wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve comes from over 20 different sites and was brought up in 37% new French oak. Redcurrants, leafy tobacco, and spice notes define the bouquet, and it’s lush, fruit-loaded, and ready to go. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming 7-8 years or so. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it evolve longer.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection lifts out of the glass with tons of sheer intensity. Inky dark red cherry, mocha, cedar, spice and licorice are pushed front and center. This mid-weight, supple Cabernet has so much to offer. It’s a terrific introduction to the Raymond range.

-- Antonio Galloni

Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, 2% Malbec and 1% Petite Sirah, aged for 20 months in 38% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve is deep garnet-purple in color. Just bottled last week, it's already showing open and expressive blackberries, blackcurrant and warm plums notes with touches of tobacco leaf and underbrush plus a waft of menthol. The palate is medium to full-bodied with lovely freshness and vibrancy, textured with plush tannins and finishing with a menthol lift. 20,776 cases produced.

Deeply fruited and concentrated, this is a showy wine that's sure to please many for its richness, chocolate-coated cherry profile and hints of liquorice and tar. Varietal complexity comes through as leafy herbs and cedar. It's modern, for sure.

2015 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Recently, during a meeting of young Napa Valley winemakers at larkmead, the discussion turned to the price of cabernet grapes and how it was becoming increasingly difficult to offer a va varietally labeled cabernet from Napa Valley at a price that might encourage new wine drinkers to buy it. The least expensive cabernet anyone in the room had on offer was $60. So I was interested to taste this $45 wine and find a fresh, generous, full-on cabernet sauvignon. It grows at Raymond’s organically farmed vineyards in Rutherford and includes some purchased fruit from Calistoga and Coombsville. Yes, it’s a little heady and a touch sweet, but there’s plenty of cracked-black-pepper and cardamom spice to dust the fruit in the end. And if the tough tannins yield to a softer, chocolatey note, they still hold their shape, open and ready for grilled pork. 

Deep and dense, well-centered on rich dark berry, licorice, herb, dill, cedar and road tar flavors. Though firmly tannic, this also has a measure of finesse and grace. 

Best of Class of Varietal

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a tasty entry-level offering from Raymond Vineyards. I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later, while the red and purplish berry fruit remains vibrant.

Starts shy, then slowly but surely reveals good concentration and a nice floral component. A herbaceous note below the dark fruit. This is tangy and vibrant, making a change from the frequently overripe styles.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve is a terrific value that should be snatched up by readers. Giving up lots of classic Cabernet cassis and currant fruit, plenty of tobacco and earth, medium to full-bodied richness, and a great mid-palate, drink this impressive, balanced, classically style Cabernet anytime over the coming decade.

A juicy and fruity wine with brambleberry and chocolate. Some hazelnut. Medium to full body. Silky texture. Drink now or hold.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve has vague cassis and earthy scents. With chewy tannins, nice texture and freshness to match the fruit, it's not bad at all.

Dusty and tannic, this is a solid value for its quality—a wine of freshness and grip that offers complexity and approachability in equal measure. Black-cherry and black-pepper flavors highlight the palate. 

Shows off a profile of currant, red berry and red licorice notes. Dense without being weighty, avoiding a tannic overload. Ends with a long, persistent finish. Best from 2019 through 2029. 17,000 cases made.
–JL

94 points 

Excellent, Highly Recommended
This is a classically styled and proportioned Napa Cabernet with delightful aromatics of cassis, toasted cedar, blackberry preserves, and wild fennel. The palate is a decadent combination of ripe fruit, dark cocoa, and a nice touch of savory tannin.

Very elegant, supple and understated style with notes of plum skin, cassis, vanilla and coffee bean and gentle, fine fresh texture. 

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 40th Anniversary is a blend of 17 vineyards, with the dominant part from the Rutherford Estate. The final blend was 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot, Malbec and Petit Syrah. This was aged 19 months in about 30% new French oak and bottled unfiltered. A real beauty, and, for a top Napa Cabernet, an excellent price point. The wine has a dense bluish purple color, a sweet kiss of crème de cassis, licorice, camphor and subtle toast. Relatively opulent on the attack and midpalate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with silky tannin, adequate acidity and impressive purity and length. There are 17,000 cases of this wine, and it is definitely worth taking a serious look at.

A delicious red with ripe red fruit, plum and raspberry notes. Pair with a rare steak.

Elegantly styled, with refined spicy oak, currant, dark berry and licorice notes. Shows an impressive integration of flavors and textural nuance. Drink now through 2024.
–JL
 

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve comes from a mix of sites, ranging from Yountville to Calistoga, and Atlas Peak. A blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, it has a dense purple color and a beautiful nose of blue and black fruit, licorice, graphite and subtle toast. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for another several decades.

Succulent in red cherry and cassis, this wine has a surprising level of depth and grip. It finds its way with integrated tannins, soft layers of caramelized oak and a brightness of fruit and acidity. —V.B.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is plump, juicy and forward. Dark red cherry, plum, mocha and spice abound in a generous, ripe Cabernet Sauvignon that delivers outstanding quality and value, especially considering the 22,000 case production. - Antonio Galloni

GOLD

SILVER

Best Buy. Layering strawberries, darker blueberries and chocolate, this is a wine of cushioned richness, satisfying in the way Napa Valley cabernet sets out to be. It's ripe and soft, ready for prime rib.

A rustic red, showing rich, intense flavors centered on dried dark berry, chocolate, cedary oak and dried herb. Ends with chewy tannins.

Marked by deep, delicious flavors of chocolate, blueberries and blackberries, this is a lovely Cabernet to drink now. The tannins are firm, the finish long and spicy. Shows real Napa class.

Fresh, zesty wild berry and raspberry are the core flavors, with touches of spice and licorice. Medium-weight and supple in texture. Drink now through 2017. 20,000 cases made.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINALIST. Excellent. Highly recommended.

This is a very good Cabernet. It’s made in a drinkable style, with jammy blackberry, blueberry, and cherry flavors and a sweet, toasty coating of new French oak. Drink this flashy wine now and over the next years.