Napa Valley Cabernet: Best Calistoga 2018 wines

As with the entire Napa Valley, 2018 in Calistoga was a drama-free ‘winemaker vintage’ where producers were free to express individual styles.

‘There’s nothing wrong with a vintage being climatically average. It’s actually really good. It was a breather. It gave the vines time to relax after a pretty stressful 2017’ says Larkmead winemaker Dan Petroski.

Scroll down for the top-scoring Calistoga 2018 wines

The northernmost AVA in Napa Valley, Calistoga has some of the warmest daytime temperatures but also the coolest nights, helping grapes retain a zesty, clean acidity. While producer styles vary widely, there is a consistently rich power to the wines, one harnessed by an upright, sturdy, high-toned structure.

Larkmead sits at the far southern edge of the region, producing a deep, plush style. ‘We’re technically in the Calistoga AVA but we designate our wines Napa Valley’, says Petroski. This is common throughout Napa Valley, especially among entrenched, historical producers that long predate the sub-AVA breakdowns, or the AVA system entirely.

Napa Valley Cabernet: Full 2018 vintage report

On the northern end of the appellation is the famed Chateau Montelena. These wines display a brighter, more energetic profile than those of Larkmead. ‘This is where the two mountain ranges come together’ says Montelena winemaker Matt Crafton. ‘Calistoga used to have a gliderport. People would ride thermals that come off the Palisades and the Mayacamas. As that heat rises up through convection, make-up air is pulled in through Russian River from the Pacific. Every afternoon when it’s warm, right around 3:30, a 15°C breeze comes in and cools everything down quickly.’

Quick links

Individual AVA analysis and top-scoring wines coming soon:

Coombsville, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Oakville, Rutherford, St Helena Stags Leap District

Top expressions of Calistoga include The Eisele Estate, Jericho Canyon, Jones, Montelena’s Estate bottling and Hourglass’ Blueline Estate.

See the best Calistoga 2018 wines

See also

Decanter Premium Collector’s Guide: Napa Valley 

The rise of US urban wineries

California Cabernet 2016: Panel tasting results