California Cabernet 2016: Panel tasting results

The 2016 vintage is unquestionably one of the finest for California Cabernet Sauvignon in the past two decades, writes Matthew Luczy. A relatively calm growing season gave wines that exude power, nuance and precision. Ripening and harvest occurred in waves, leaving producers the luxury of leeway with picking decisions.

Yields were down on average, due mainly to the ongoing drought that began in 2012, though this vintage would mark its end.

A warm, dry winter kept frost at bay and accelerated budbreak. Spring temperatures were warm as well, putting winemakers in a similar headspace to that of 2015. While the early part of summer was moderately hot, August cooled sharply – a stark departure from the previous year. This allowed extended hangtime and slowed ripeness, giving the wines freshness and vibrancy.

September brought the return of higher temperatures and consistent weather during harvest. Mid-October delivered some of the heaviest rain in decades, but most picking had already been completed. Grape clusters were significantly more healthy and consistent than in 2015 when heat spikes at harvest caused roasted bunches and spotty wines for some producers.

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California Cabernet: The Facts

Total wine grape plantings – 229,052ha
Cabernet Sauvignon plantings – 36,738ha

Cabernet Sauvignon by major region
Napa Valley – 8,413ha
San Luis Obispo – 5,573ha
Sonoma County – 4,977ha
San Joaquin Valley – 4,927ha

Deserving of praise

The best 2016 Cabernets are dense, energetic and vibrant. Their purity and balance offer an optimal platform to examine nuance between sub-regions and microclimates. However, if producers wanted to hold out for more ripeness, they were able to – though it would come at the expense of terroir transparency.

2016 is regularly and rightfully brought up with 2013 as a ‘best of the decade’ contender. While the quality of both vintages is high, they are stylistically opposite: 2013 produced more tannic and muscular wines, in contrast to the grace and suppleness found in the 2016s. In addition, 2013 was a bountiful harvest, while the yields in 2016 were far lower, which will raise demand as time goes on. Comparisons are also being made to 2018, which shows similar qualities of lift, tension and nerve.

Given California land prices and an ever-rising demand for flashy, ultra-modern wineries, it is no surprise that the pricing of many 2016 Cabernets is higher than previous vintages. While the lowered yields are an understandable factor, prices have perpetually escalated for much of the decade.

Though California has seen an undeniable run of acclaimed vintages, it seems that pricing goes up if the yields are down, up if the quality is high, and especially up in the case of both. It’s hard not to see where this leads, and one is left to wonder if a correction is either plausible or possible.

Pop-and-pour-consumers and cellar-minded collectors alike will find pleasure in the 2016 California Cabernets. They have enough structure and power to go the distance in the cellar, as well as enough polish and opulence to reward early drinking. It is also very much a ‘blank canvas’ vintage – one where house styles are made clear, and where quality differences between producers are plainly evident.

California Cabernet: Know Your Vintages

2019

Inconsistent weather early in the season but by harvest things were nearly optimal. Power outages caused issues for many wineries, but overall quality is high.

2018

A largely cool but long growing season provided extended hangtime, with harvest stretching into late October throughout the state. Resulting wines are dense but pure.

2017

The first post-drought vintage, but unfortunately also the most difficult in recent memory. Early September heatwaves followed by wildfires dramatically lowered production.

2015

Reduced yields from both drought and cold temperatures early in the season. One of the earliest harvests in California’s history, starting in early August. Variable quality throughout.

2014

A stellar vintage, creating an enviable trio with 2012 and 2013. A wet spring led to a warm summer, and harvest started early, in mid-August. Ripe, powerful and accessible wines.

2013

The finest California Cabernet vintage in decades, and a career-defining one for many. The wines are ripe, forward-structured and tannic. Perfect candidates for long-term ageability.

The verdict

The ongoing pandemic and summer wildfires in California meant this was a smaller tasting than usual, but overall quality was high amid the 81 entries, said our experts, with 80% scoring 90 points or more. Written by Tina Gellie.

‘The vast majority showed well and were a tremendous advertisement of what California can do,’ said James Doidge. ‘I found lots of acidity, freshness and florality, which in previous vintages had been lacking.’

‘I don’t think I’ve scored such a high percentage of Highly Recommended wines,’ said Ronan Sayburn MS. ‘It was essentially a case of deciding where they sat between 90 and 94 points.’

The judges all praised the charms of the 2016 vintage, with Sayburn especially impressed by the lack of faults and ‘winemaker fiddling’. He explained: ‘Ten years ago, this kind of California Cabernet tasting would have exposed the heavy hand of the winemaker more: too much ripeness, oak, alcohol and must adjustments. This tasting was a good indication of where Napa especially is going: pure fruit, picked earlier and reasonable oak.

‘While a few wines were too over the top, maturing too fast with raisined fruit, the majority showed a lovely youthfulness for 2016, with great restraint and elegance.’

Stephen Brook, however, was more critical. ‘Alcohol, for me, is still a problem. The 2016 vintage conditions made it impossible for California to create any kind of lean Médoc style, but nevertheless, based on what we tasted, most producers picked too late and worshipped the god of phenolic ripeness rather than picking for balance and freshness. Many of the wines were consequently too ripe, and fatiguing too early.

‘Those who’ve read my comments after panel tastings of previous vintages, will be thinking “same old story”; but I’m afraid there’s a certain sameness in California Cabernet. That’s not a criticism,’ Brook added, ‘but when you are looking at one grape, similar weather conditions across the regions and similar cellar practices, then that’s to be expected.’

Doidge agreed that alcohol was sometimes a problem, but not to the extent that Brook found it. ‘In some cases the wines that were 15% or more were the most highly rated, because the alcohol was balanced by the structure and fruit intensity,’ he said. ‘For me, oak was well integrated and no more overdone than any other Cabernet-focused region such as Bordeaux or Australia.’

Of the 81 entries, 59 were from Napa, with 30 of those from the Napa Valley AVA. ‘The crux is the generic wines lack nuance,’ said Brook. ‘And again that’s not a criticism, as overall quality is high – just an observation that there is not much distinction between the large majority of wines which follow a sort of strident, formulaic winemaking.’

The judges found highlights among the more specific AVAs, though said it was hard to give broad-brush pros and cons for any of them given the limited number of entries. However, all three picked out Alexander Valley. ‘It’s always underrated compared to Napa,’ said Doidge, ‘but the wines’ lower alcohol, fresh blue-fruit character and bright acidity showed well and will appeal to UK consumers.’ Sayburn added: ‘I used to be able to pick out its more Right Bank Bordeaux quality against heavier Napa, but now Napa is focusing more on fruit purity, early picking and freshness, it’s harder to tell them apart. But I welcome that!’

While all the judges questioned whether consumers would be put off by the prices, those taking the plunge will find great enjoyment now and over the next 10 to 20 years.

See all of the wines in this California Cabernet 2016 tasting here

The overall California Cabernet 2016 scores:

81 wines tasted

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their 2016 vintage Californian Cabernet Sauvignon (minimum 75%) reds

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 9

Highly Recommended 56

Recommended 15

Commended 1

Fair 0

Poor 0

Faulty 0

Top wines from the California Cabernet 2016 panel tasting:

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