Napa Cabernet 2022: Top wines from Rutherford

The Proprietary Red was aged 21 months in roughly 75% new French oak. It lifts beautifully out of the glass with alluring aromas of loamy earth, capsicum, incense, smoked paprika, and bay laurel. Full-bodied, with rich earth and velvety-textured tannins, the palate is layered with bay leaf, sage, rich toasty oak, and mocha, leading to a long, satisfying finish. Wonderfully plush, it carries a super-dense core of dark berry fruit, impressionable tannins, and nice saline-acid tension, nuanced by a crushed stone minerality that adds depth. Bella Oaks is owned by Suzanne Deal Booth, with Nigel Kinsman as winemaker and Michel Rolland as consulting winemaker.

Located in Rutherford on Manley Lane, wedged between Bella Oaks and Scarecrow, the Greer Vineyard is owned by Rob and Sid Greer. Aaron Pott has been crafting wines for this brand since 2001, following a history where Cathy Corison used to purchase grapes from this site. In 2005, the vineyard was replanted to Clone 4, See Clone, and Weimer Clone on 1.2ha with 101-14 rootstock. The first Greer release was the 2007 vintage. Fermented in stainless steel with native yeast, utilising automatic pumpovers and occasional hand punchdowns, the wine is aged for 20 months in 75% new French oak. This is an exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, embodying utterly classic character with blackberry fruit, graphite, cassis, and a hint of toasty cedarwood. Full-bodied, it unspools black fruit in silken waves, nuanced by sagebrush, loamy earth, dark cacao, and crushed cocoa nibs. The finish is long, mineral-driven, and impeccably polished. A timeless wine, perfect for a cigar late at night or alongside a fabulous steak dinner. This is a masterclass in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon during a vintage marked by challenges.

From Beckstoffer Georges III, this wine is wonderfully expressive, showcasing savoury sagebrush, bay laurel, and crunchy blackcurrant fruit, with dark cacao powder notes adding depth. Medium- to full-bodied, it presents exacting, firm, taut tannins that lay a rich foundation for the ripe, juicy, fresh dark berry fruit. The finish is long and layered, nuanced by warming Indian spices, adding complexity and vibrancy. The J.H. Wheeler label represents a portfolio of wines from Wheeler Farms.

The J.O. Sullivan Founder's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was aged up to 22 months in 90% new French oak. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from extremely low-yielding vines, producing up to 3.7 tonnes per hectare. Winemaker Jeff Cole incorporates Petit Verdot into the blend, which enhances the wine’s identity by adding roundness, deeper colour, and accentuating its savoury character. This is a full-bodied, super-compact wine in this vintage, marked by elegance and superb cola spices. The palate reveals layers of black cherry and blackberry fruit, intertwined with notes of clove, loamy earth, tobacco, and rich vanilla-scented cedar. The tannins are extremely fine-grained and long, crafting a stylish and polished wine that defies the challenges of the vintage. The heat and warmth of the year could have compromised tannin structure, but excellent farming and precision winemaking maintained the fruit’s integrity and structural balance—a masterful effort.

From Beckstoffer Georges III in Rutherford, just across the Silverado Trail from Upper Range and adjacent to Caymus, this vineyard sits on volcanic soils that have fallen from Pritchard Hill over millennia, interwoven with sedimentary river soils from the Napa River. Aged 22 months in 100% new French oak, this typically tension-filled wine is more approachable in 2022, yet still pulses with coiled-up energy. Dark-toned fruits, black liquorice, black olive, and violets lead the way. At the same time, the full-bodied palate delivers deep concentration, a host of exotic Indian spices, scorched herbs, and pressed violets, with white pepper nuances and a zesty blood orange finish. Fresh, enticing, and impressively polished in this vintage. B Cellars was founded in 2003 by business partners Duffy Keys and Jim Borsack. Winemaker Kirk Venge has been crafting wines for B Cellars since 2004.

Inglenook’s iconic red blend, Rubicon, combines 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Merlot, sourced primarily from their Rutherford Bench estate parcels. Aged in 100% new French oak, the 2022 vintage is a savoury, deeply structured wine. Layers of dusty mineral, damp forest floor, chanterelles, and cherry wood oak define the aromatics, leading to a medium- to full-bodied palate with driving energy and tension. Velvety tannins extend the wine’s depth, evolving into a fuller-bodied expression nuanced by a deep iron-like minerality, loamy earth, and pops of sage, thyme, and graphite. The finish is long and refreshing, with a firm yet balanced grip, making this an exceptionally structured and compelling expression of Rutherford terroir.

The 2022 Morisoli Cabernet Sauvignon features ripe mulberry fruit and unsmoked tobacco framed by cinnamon-dusted cedarwood. A subtle saline minerality balances plump, juicy red and black fruits, while powdery tannins build through the cocoa powder character on the lengthy, full-bodied, fruit-driven finish.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Rutherford AVA, aged 20 months in French oak. This wine offers a brighter expression than the 2022 Oakville bottling, just an appellation away. It’s spicy, with aromatic black currants and cedarwood notes and a hint of sweet paprika. The robust, powerful, and grippy tannins resolve beautifully through ripe layers of juicy fruit and savoury spices. The long, mineral-tinged finish brings a touch of elegance and intrigue.

Sourced from an exceptional site in Rutherford, this Brinkman Block Cabernet Sauvignon was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak. The wine opens with lifted minerality, as dusty herb and black cherry notes rise from the glass. It delivers a plush, opulent mouthfeel on the palate, supported by gentle, sweet tannins and an excellent spine of crunchy acidity. The tannins provide good grip, leading to a long, well-structured finish with good freshness and tension. Kirk Venge began making the wines in 2002, working alongside owners Justin and Seana Stephens. The winery is located in St. Helena, across the Silverado Trail from Rombauer, and the fruit for this Napa Valley bottling comes from Rutherford, St. Helena, Calistoga, and Pope Valley, showcasing the diverse terroirs of the region.

<p>This blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec is primarily sourced from estate vineyards in Rutherford, including the Tonella Estate, and features contributions from long-term partners like the Morisoli Family. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, this is a showy and highly approachable Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. Classic dusty minerality and rich loamy earth are complemented by vibrant cassis and kirsch flavours, laced with toasty oak and tobacco nuances. The palate is super plush, with salted dark cacao notes enriching melt-in-your-mouth silky tannins, and a lengthy finish. This is a luxurious, quaffable wine that embodies the essence of Rutherford.</p>