Cathiard Estate Vineyards is an idyllic location with 200 acres of Mayacamas hillside and Napa Valley floor vineyards. The rolling hillside vineyards extend to 500 feet in elevation with a spring fed reservoir near the top. The property is officially in St Helena but also straddles the Rutherford appellation with volcanic and sedimentary sub-soils.

This estate grown varietal of 100% old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from volcanic and sedimentary sub-soils from the oldest hillside single vineyard at 1,200 feet in elevation. The average age of the vines is 35 years and it is aged for 18-20 months in 80% new French Oak.

In spite of the challenges with the heat in this vintage, the 2022 Cathiard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the benchmark wines from this year. Using their keen knowledge of French craftsmanship in crafting wines in Bordeaux, winemaker Justin Labee´ has presented a tour de force with the 2022 Cathiard Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine reveals a deeply opaque ruby hue with glistening violet edges. The compelling bouquet of black plums, loamy earth and a hint of incense draws you inside. The core unfolds gracefully with macerated Morello cherries, blueberry, marmalade and crème de cassis intertwined with graphite dust, sage leaf and cocoa powder. The middle is quietly complex with finely sculpted tannins offering richness and concentration, but without excess. This wine is defined by its sensory detail, elegance and sense of place that will emerge over decades.

By W Peter Hoyne