Get to know California Cabernet: Good, better, best
Have you ever wanted to know more about a great wine region but didn’t know where to start? Matthew Luczy sums up what makes California Cabernet so special and picks three bottles - good (affordable), better (medium-priced) and best (money no object) – to take you there.
The identity of California Cabernet Sauvignon has been a moving target over the last five decades. Trends come and go, but Cabernet’s nearly-synonymous place in the world of California wine is a constant. The balance of enhancing a wine in the cellar while letting its natural characteristics show through is a fine line; Cabernet in particular can be flypaper for practices geared towards increasing flavour and richness – not to mention price.
There is often a perception of Cabernet that the more you pay, the heavier the wine will be. This is surely true in some cases, but doesn’t paint a complete picture. A rich, complex wine is not necessarily a heavy one, nor prohibitively expensive. I wanted to take the variable of weight out of the equation as much as possible, letting price escalation instead show only increasing levels of clarity and specificity of terroir.
Cabernet can deliver not only powerhouse wines, but also easygoing, pleasant drinking experiences. Here, Cultivar’s Napa County blend shows a fresh, clean, linear profile at an impressively low price point. The Mount Eden Vineyards wine is a perennial classic, putting the herbal qualities of the varietal on display.
The finale is a tried and true benchmark, Martha’s Vineyard from Heitz Cellar. It exudes a deft and polished texture balanced with a rustic, powerful elegance; exactly what Cabernet Sauvignon wants to be. The extended maturation regimen pre-release gives consumers a substantially more complete wine from the outset, and its further ageing potential can be questioned by no one. To top it off, it is significantly more affordable than many blockbuster, blue-chip Napa Cabs. Martha’s truly has it all.
Good: Cultivar, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County 2018 – 93 points
Better: Mount Eden Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains 2016 – 96 points
Best: Heitz Cellar, Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley 2015 – 97 points
Matthew Luczy’s Californian Cabernet picks:
See also:
Get to know Left bank Bordeaux: Good, better, best
Collectible California Cabernet
Heitz Cellar, Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Oakville, California, USA, 2015
No other Cabernet has the aromatic profile of Martha’s, its signature eucalyptus note being perennially present and well documented. It is quite floral for a Cabernet, with aromas of dried cherry blossom, fresh sage, dry earth and cocoa powder. Aged three years in French oak and an additional two in bottle before release, there is clear evidence of new oak, but in a deliciously creamy, enhancing way rarely found in modern Cabernet. The palate is juicy, clean, dark and deep all at once. Explosive and long on the finish, showing multidimensional layers of black fruits, fresh herbs and charred earth with stunning delineation. There isn’t a more definitive Cabernet Sauvignon in the world, at any price.
2015
Heitz CellarNapa Valley
Mount Eden Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, 2016
The combination of high-elevation vineyards, oceanic influence and surrounding coniferous forest give Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet a singular profile, and few show it off as well as Mount Eden. Aged 22 months in 50% new oak, a mixture of French and American. Contains 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. American wood instils notes of candied orange rind and coconut flakes into an otherwise gravel-driven nose. The palate has a graceful, buoyant quality that gently floats across the palate. The finish is very dry and wound up like a spring, which will continue to be the case for the next several years. This is a wine to slowly let unfurl, both when ageing and consuming; open several hours in advance.
2016
Mount Eden VineyardsSanta Cruz Mountains
Cultivar, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA, 2018
An offshoot of Caspar Estate, which can trace its roots back to 1962, Cultivar produces a polished and snappy introduction to California Cabernet. It contains small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, and is aged 18 months in 20% new French barrique. Subtle hints of new wood peer through aromas of blackberry sauce, sweet tobacco and damp earth. Despite its aromatically dark-fruited nature, the palate is clean and brilliant, showing an energetic side of Cabernet that is difficult to find at this price. Tannins are persistent but fine, with a lovely focus and lift to finish. Impressively balances a fruit-forward core with secondary qualities throughout.
2018
Cultivar
