2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with inviting violet, dark fruit, tobacco, subtle baking spice and earthy dried herb aromatics. The palate is filled with expressive black cherry, blackberry and dark plum, hints of spice box and sweet vanilla bean. A focused, concentrated wine with youthful energy and freshness nimbly balanced by supple tannin structure and finesse.

Winemaking Data The wine was aged for eighteen months in 48% new oak (58% French, 42% American) and 52% older French and American oak barrels before bottling. The coopers included Ermitage, François Frères, Demptos (French & American), Canton (American), Dargaud Jaegle, Orion and Taransaud.

Vintage Notes In 2019, bud break occurred around the same time as 2018 but was delayed compared to our historical averages due to cold, saturated soils from the wet winter. May was cold with an unusual amount of rainfall which delayed bloom in some areas. Canopy management was key in 2019 because of vigorous canopies and moderate temperatures leading to less stress on the vines. July was cooler than average, but August and September warmed to push ripening ahead. Harvest weather patterns remained dry and fruit quality was excellent with well-developed flavors and structure.

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon marks the first vintage to include fruit from the new Joseph Phelps vineyard named El Venadito, located in the Oak Knoll District, just south of the winery’s Yountville Vineyard.

Reviews 94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
This wine is lovely in juicy red fruit, dried herb and hints of allspice, the tannin structure firm and giving. Offering refinement and structure, it shows nuances of black currant, cherry and toasted oak. This will do well in the cellar; enjoy best from 2029–2034. Cellar Selection. —V.B.

93 Points - Antonio Galloni's Vinous
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is absolutely gorgeous. Succulent red cherry, red plum, mocha, spice and leather are front and center. Soft contours and silky plush tannins give the 2019 its tremendous immediacy and overall appeal. The 2019 is a superb wine in its peer group. -AG (Jan. 2022)

92 Points - Wine Spectator
Dark, with a flicker of charcoal weaving amid steeped plum, loganberry, black currant and boysenberry fruit flavors. Features flashes of sweet bay leaf and licorice root that underline the briary finish, which has good energy. Best from 2023 through 2034. -JM, June 2022

92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Starting with the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, which is a no-brainer cuvée in most vintages, it reveals a dense purple hue to go with classic Napa Cabernet notes of ripe blackcurrants, scorched earth, lead pencil, chalky minerality, and a touch of spice box. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, with silky tannins, it's a classic, concentrated, yet elegant style of Cabernet Sauvignon that will deliver the goods for two decades if properly stored. It way over-delivers. (Dec. 2021)

(91-93) Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
It rolls effortlessly out of the glass with beautifully pure notes of fresh black plums, black cherries and crushed blackcurrants plus hints of cinnamon stick, tobacco leaf and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate hits the ground running with expressive black fruits and soft, supple tannins, lifted by just enough freshness and finishing pleasantly savory. -LPB (March 2021)

91 Points Year's Best Cabernet Sauvignons - Wine & Spirits
Floral cherry and currant flavors burst from this wine's tannins, which feel chewy, tightening around the fruit with their musky and smoky notes. Give it time for the fruit to fully emerge from the tannins, or coax it out with lamb burgers. -JG (Dec. 2021)

Tasting Notes Download Tasting Notes (pdf)