Reviews

This appellation excelled in 2018, and I loved the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Diamond Mountain. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in just under 50% new oak, it offers loads of red and black currant fruit as well as complex baking spice, chocolate, dried herbs, and earthy aromas and flavors. Rich but not heavy, balanced, and beautifully textured, it’s one of the top wines at the under-$100 price point.

Coming from the southwest side of St. Helena, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection St Helena (100% Cabernet aged in 59% new French oak) is another classic, great 2018 that reveals a deep purple color as well as lots of cassis and darker currant fruits, full-bodied richness, building yet polished tannins, and complex notes of dried earth, tobacco, and roasted coffee. As with many 2018s, the purity of fruit is top-notch. This will benefit from short-term cellaring and evolve for 20 years or so.

Lots of red, black, and blue fruits as well as an incredible sense of flowers emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Calistoga, which is all Cabernet brought up in 42% new French oak. This is another lively, pure, balanced beauty by winemaker Stephanie Putnam that offers medium to full-bodied richness, a notable spine of acidity (I suspect the pH is quite low), ripe tannins, and just a pretty, seamless style that’s going to evolve nicely for 15-20 years.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Rutherford is another gem that has the charming, already approachable style that’s common from wines from Raymond, yet it also shines for its balance, mid-palate depth, and length on the finish. Lots of textbook Cabernet tobacco, earth, cassis, and spice notes emerge from the glass, and it’s another head-turning wine in the lineup that can be drunk today yet also cellared for 15 years or more.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Yountville comes from a single vineyard off State Lane and was brought up in 38% new French oak. Pretty, floral notes of sappy herbs, spring flowers, iron, chocolate, and more red fruits define the bouquet, and it’s beautifully concentrated and seamless on the palate. It’s another winner.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Oakville shows the classic, tight, age-worthy style of the vintage. Deep purple-hued, with notes of cassis, violets, and sappy flower, it’s medium to full-bodied and has good concentration, a solid spine of acidity, and a great finish. All Cabernet from the east side of Oakville and aged in 47% new French oak, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep through 2038.

All the District Collection series are around 500 cases or less, and they give an incredible insight into the different appellations in the valley. Starting with the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Stags Leap, it has perfumed red and black fruits and tobacco notes to go with full-bodied richness and a seamless, layered texture on the palate. Stags Leap is a cooler region, and you see that in the aromatics, but this brings serious fruit on the palate without losing its sense of finesse. It’s beautifully done and will evolve for 15-20 years.

A new wine from this team, which is headed up by Stephanie Putnam and consultant Philippe Melka, the 2017 Napa Valley Reserve Red Blend checks in as a kitchen sink blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petit Verdot, 9% Zinfandel, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Malbec. It offers a beautiful complexity and nuance as well as classy notes of blackcurrants, spice box, dried flowers, and leafy herbs. Medium-bodied, with solid Cabernet character, it's balanced, charming, and delicious.

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.

Smoky black fruits, tobacco, and coffee bean notes emerge from the 2018 Passion Red Blend, another rich yet elegant wine from winemaker Stephanie Putnam. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness as well as the purity and freshness that are the hallmark of the vintage, it should evolve nicely for 2-4 years and keep for over a decade. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all aged in 35% new French oak.