Napa Valley may only provide around 4% of California’s grape harvest, but even some merchants admit it’s difficult to keep track of all the wines being made; from exciting, niche varietal bottlings to the sheer breadth of Cabernet Sauvignon-driven styles.
You’ll find plenty of tasting notes and ratings on Decanter Premium, including Matthew Luczy’s first look at Napa Valley 2018 wines across the region’s American Viticultural Areas.
But we’ve also created an introductory guide to provide inspiration for collectors looking to get more involved in the Cabernet-dominant wines of Napa, including:
- Merchant and analyst commentary approaching the market
- Top names to know
- A closer look at prices
- Investment potential of top-tier wines
Premium members: Get the full report exclusively via the Decanter Premium app.
If you haven’t upgraded your Premium subscription to include the app yet, please contact support@decanter.com
Edited extract: Approaching the market
{"content":"PHA+VGhpbmdzIGhhdmUgY29tZSBhIGxvbmcgd2F5IHNpbmNlIERpYW1vbmQgQ3JlZWvigJlzIEFsIEJyb3Vuc3RlaW4gcmVsZWFzZWQgaGlzIExha2UgVmluZXlhcmQgQ2FiZXJuZXQgMTk3OCBhdCAkMTAwLWEtYm90dGxlLjwvcD4KPHA+PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iYWQtY29udGFpbmVyIGFkLWNvbnRhaW5lci0tbW9iaWxlIj48ZGl2IGlkPSJwb3N0LWlubGluZS0yIiBjbGFzcz0iaXBjLWFkdmVydCI+PC9kaXY+PC9kaXY+PC9wPgo8cD5TZXZlcmFsIGhpZ2hseSByZWdhcmRlZCwgc21hbGwtcHJvZHVjdGlvbiDigJhjdWx04oCZIHdpbmVzIGNvbW1hbmQgbG9mdHkgcHJpY2VzIHRvZGF5LiBOYW1lcyBsaWtlIFNjcmVhbWluZyBFYWdsZSBhbmQgSGFybGFuIEVzdGF0ZSBjYW4gYmUgZm91bmQgYXQgaGlnaGVyIHByaWNlcyB0aGFuIEJvcmRlYXV4IGZpcnN0IGdyb3d0aHMsIGZvciBpbnN0YW5jZS48L3A+CjxwPkFjY29yZGluZyB0byA8c3Ryb25nPjxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LndpbmUtc2VhcmNoZXIuY29tLyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+PGVtPldpbmUtU2VhcmNoZXI8L2VtPiBmaWd1cmVzPC9hPjwvc3Ryb25nPiwgdGhlIGF2ZXJhZ2UgZ2xvYmFsIHJldGFpbCBwcmljZSBvZiBhIOKAmEJvcmRlYXV4IHJlZCBibGVuZOKAmSBmcm9tIE5hcGEgVmFsbGV5IGhhcyByaXNlbiBieSBhcm91bmQgMzAlIGluIHRoZSBsYXN0IGZpdmUgeWVhcnMsIHRvIGF2ZXJhZ2UgJDE5MyBwZXIgYm90dGxlIGV4LXRheCBpbiBTZXB0ZW1iZXIgMjAyMC48L3A+CjxwPlRoZXJlIGFyZSBwbGVudHkgb2Ygb3B0aW9ucyBmdXJ0aGVyIGRvd24gdGhlIHByaWNlIGxhZGRlciwgc2F5IG1lcmNoYW50cy48L3A+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImFkLWNvbnRhaW5lciBhZC1jb250YWluZXItLW1vYmlsZSI+PGRpdiBpZD0icG9zdC1pbmxpbmUtMyIgY2xhc3M9ImlwYy1hZHZlcnQiPjwvZGl2PjwvZGl2Pgo8cD7igJhJZiB5b3XigJlyZSBhIHNhdnZ5IHNob3BwZXIgdGhlcmUgYXJlIGdyZWF0IHdpbmVzIHRvIGJlIGhhZCBhbmQgeW91IGRvbuKAmXQgaGF2ZSB0byBzcGVuZCBhbiBhYnNvbHV0ZSBmb3J0dW5lLOKAmSBzYWlkIFJ5YW4gV29vZGhvdXNlLCBkb21lc3RpYyB3aW5lIGJ1eWVyIGF0IHRoZSBDYWxpZm9ybmlhLWJhc2VkIG1lcmNoYW50IEsmYW1wO0wuIEFyb3VuZCAkNDAgdG8gJDUwIGNhbiBiZSBlbm91Z2ggdG8gZ2V0IGEgZ3JlYXQgYm90dGxlLCBoZSBhZGRlZC48L3A+CjxwPk9uZSBleGFtcGxlIGluIHRoaXMgYXJlYSBpcyBTbWl0aC1NYWRyb25lLCBmb3VuZGVkIGluIE5hcGEgVmFsbGV54oCZcyBTcHJpbmcgTW91bnRhaW4gYXJlYSBieSBTdHVhcnQgU21pdGggaW4gMTk3MSwgd2hpY2ggcmVjZW50bHkgcmVsZWFzZWQgaXRzIDIwMTYgQ2FiZXJuZXQgU2F1dmlnbm9uIGF0ICQ1OCwgd2l0aCBvbmx5IDEsMzc1IGNhc2VzIHByb2R1Y2VkLjwvcD4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iYWQtY29udGFpbmVyIGFkLWNvbnRhaW5lci0tbW9iaWxlIj48ZGl2IGlkPSJwb3N0LWlubGluZS00IiBjbGFzcz0iaXBjLWFkdmVydCI+PC9kaXY+PC9kaXY+CjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3dpbmUtcmV2aWV3cy91c2EvY2FsaWZvcm5pYS9zbWl0aC1tYWRyb25lLWNhYmVybmV0LXNhdXZpZ25vbi1uYXBhLXZhbGxleS1zcHJpbmctMzcwMTAiIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vb3BlbmVyIG5vcmVmZXJyZXIiPjxlbT5EZWNhbnRlcuKAmXMgPC9lbT5FbGluIE1jQ295IHJhdGVkIHRoZSB3aW5lIDk0IHBvaW50czwvYT48L3N0cm9uZz4gYW5kIGRlc2NyaWJlZCBpdCBhcyDigJh2ZXJ5IG11Y2ggYSBtb3VudGFpbiBDYWJlcm5ldCwgd2l0aCBjbGFzc2ljIHN0cnVjdHVyZSwgY2Fzc2lzIGFuZCBncmFwaGl0ZSBhcm9tYXMsIGFuZCBkZWVwLCBzYXZvdXJ5IHJlZCBmcnVpdCBmbGF2b3VycyB3aXRoIGhpbnRzIG9mIG1pbnTigJkuPC9wPgo8cD5Ib3dldmVyLCBpdCYjODIxNztzIGltcG9ydGFudCB0byBrbm93IHlvdXIgc3R5bGUuPC9wPgo8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJhZC1jb250YWluZXIgYWQtY29udGFpbmVyLS1tb2JpbGUiPjxkaXYgaWQ9InBvc3QtaW5saW5lLTUiIGNsYXNzPSJpcGMtYWR2ZXJ0Ij48L2Rpdj48L2Rpdj4KPHA+SW4gTmFwYSBDYWJlcm5ldCBhbG9uZSDigJh0aGVyZSBpcyBtYXNzaXZlIHN0eWxpc3RpYyBkaXZlcnNpdHnigJksIHNhaWQ8L3A+CjxwPlRoZXJlIGlzIG5vIHJpZ2h0IG9yIHdyb25nIGFuc3dlciwgb2YgY291cnNlLCBidXQgYm90aCBXb29kaG91c2UgYW5kIEdpbGVzIENvb3BlciwgYnV5ZXIgYXQgQkkgRmluZSBXaW5lICZhbXA7IFNwaXJpdHMsIGFkdmlzZWQgbmV3IGNvbGxlY3RvcnMgdG8gdGFzdGUgYXMgYnJvYWRseSBhcyBwb3NzaWJsZSB0byBzZWUgd2hlcmUgdGhlaXIgcGFsYXRlIHNpdHMuPC9wPgo8cD5Tb21lIHByb2R1Y2Vycywgc3VjaCBhcyBDb3Jpc29uLCBTcG90dHN3b29kZSBvciBNYXlhY2FtYXMsIGhhdmUgbG9uZyBiZWVuIGtub3duIGZvciBlc3BvdXNpbmcgYSBtb3JlIHJlc3RyYWluZWQgc3R5bGUuPC9wPgo8cD5JbiB0ZXJtcyBvZiBzYWxlcywgU2hhdW4gQmlzaG9wLCBDRU8gb2YgQ2FsaWZvcm5pYSBtZXJjaGFudCBKSiBCdWNrbGV5LCBzYWlkLCDigJhXZSBjb250aW51ZSB0byBzZWUgYSBtb3ZlIHRvIHNvbWV3aGF0IG1vcmUgcmVzdHJhaW5lZCBhbmQgZm9jdXNlZCBzdHlsZS4mIzgyMTc7IEhlIGFkZGVkLCDigJhXaW5lcyBsaWtlIEVpc2VsZSwgRG9taW51cywgVsOpcml0w6ksIEthcGNzYW5keSwgYW5kIHRoZSBzdGFibGUgb2Ygd2luZXMgZnJvbSBKZWFuLUNoYXJsZXMgQm9pc3NldCBhcmUgZG9pbmcgd2VsbC7igJk8L3A+CjxoMz48c3Ryb25nPkhvdyB0aGUgd2luZXMgYXJlIHNvbGQ8L3N0cm9uZz48L2gzPgo8cD5XaGlsZSB0aGVyZSBpcyBwbGVudHkgYXZhaWxhYmxlIGF0IHJldGFpbCBsZXZlbCwgZGlyZWN0IHNhbGVzIGFyZSBhIHNpZ25pZmljYW50IHBhcnQgb2YgdGhlIENhbGlmb3JuaWEgZmluZSB3aW5lIHNjZW5lLjwvcD4KPHA+4oCYU2l4dHkgb25lIHBlcmNlbnQgb2Ygc2FsZXMgY29tZSBkaXJlY3QgZm9yIGEgc21hbGwgd2luZXJ5LCB3aGV0aGVyIHRoYXTigJlzIHRhc3Rpbmcgcm9vbSBvciBbd2luZXJ5XSBjbHViIHNhbGVzLOKAmSBzYWlkIFJvYiBNY01pbGxhbiwgZXhlY3V0aXZlIHZpY2UgcHJlc2lkZW50IGFuZCB3aW5lIGRpdmlzaW9uIGZvdW5kZXIgYXQgU2lsaWNvbiBWYWxsZXkgQmFuay48L3A+CjxwPkhlIHNhaWQgdGhhdCB0aGUgZWNvbm9taWMgaW1wYWN0IG9mIENvdmlkLTE5IGhhZCBhbHNvIHB1c2hlZCBtb3JlIHdpbmVyaWVzIGludG8gb25saW5lIHNlbGxpbmcsIGFzIHdlbGwgYXMgdmlydHVhbCB0YXN0aW5nIHByb2dyYW1tZXMgd2l0aCBjb2xsZWN0b3JzIOKAkyBzb21ldGhpbmcgaGUgaGFzIGxvbmcgYWR2b2NhdGVkIGZvci48L3A+CjxwPlRyYWRlIGJvZHkgTmFwYSBWYWxsZXkgVmludG5lcnMgaG9zdGVkIGFuIOKAmGVuIHByaW1ldXItc3R5bGXigJkgc2FsZSBmcm9tIDggdG8gMTAgU2VwdGVtYmVyLCBsaW5raW5nIHRocm91Z2ggdG8gbmV3IHJlbGVhc2VzIGZyb20gdGhlIDIwMTYsIDIwMTcgYW5kIDIwMTggdmludGFnZXMgYXQgaXRzIHdpbmVyeSBtZW1iZXJz4oCZIHdlYnNpdGVzLCBmb3IgZXhhbXBsZS4gT25lLW9mZiB3aW5lcyBjcmVhdGVkIGZvciB0aGUgYW5udWFsIFByZW1pZXJlIE5hcGEgVmFsbGV5IGF1Y3Rpb24gaGF2ZSBhbHNvIGJlZW4gbWFkZSBhdmFpbGFibGUgb25saW5lLjwvcD4KPHA+V2luZXJ5IG1haWxpbmcgbGlzdHMgb2ZmZXIgc29tZSBvZiB0aGUgYmVzdCBvcHBvcnR1bml0aWVzIHRvIGFjcXVpcmUgbmV3LXZpbnRhZ2UgcmVsZWFzZXMgb3IgYWNxdWlyZSByYXJlciwgb2xkZXIgd2luZXMuIFNvbWUgc21hbGwtcHJvZHVjdGlvbiBjdWx0IHdpbmVzIGFyZSB3ZWxsLWtub3duIGZvciBoYXZpbmcgd2FpdGluZyBsaXN0cyBvbiBuZXcgcmVsZWFzZXMsIHN1Y2ggSGFybGFuIEVzdGF0ZSwgU2NyZWFtaW5nIEVhZ2xlLCBTY2FyZWNyb3csIFNjaHJhZGVyIG9yIFBldGVyIE1pY2hhZWwuPC9wPgo8cD5Ib3dldmVyLCBhdCBCSSwgR2lsZXMgQ29vcGVyIHNhaWQgdHJhZGl0aW9uYWwgc2VsbGluZyBtb2RlbHMgd2VyZSBzaGlmdGluZyBhcyBtb3JlIHdpbmVyaWVzIHNvdWdodCB0byByZWFjaCBvdXQgdG8gbmV3IGNvbGxlY3RvcnMgaW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbGx5LjwvcD4KPHA+4oCYVGhleeKAmXJlIGxvb2tpbmcgYXQgaG93IHRoZXkgY2FuIGV4cGFuZCB0aGVpciBkaXN0cmlidXRpb24s4oCZIGhlIHNhaWQsIGFkZGluZyB0aGF0IEJJIGhhcyBpbnZlc3RlZCBiZWhpbmQgPHN0cm9uZz48YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5kZWNhbnRlci5jb20vd2luZS93aW5lLXJlZ2lvbnMvY2FsaWZvcm5pYS13aW5lLXJlZ2lvbi9uYXBhLXZhbGxleS9uYXBhLXRpcHBlZC1mb3ItZmluZS13aW5lLW1hcmtldC1ncm93dGgtNDQ3MTI3LyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+TmFwYSBvbiB0aGUgZmluZSB3aW5lIG1hcmtldDwvYT48L3N0cm9uZz4gaW4gcmVjZW50IHllYXJzLjwvcD4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iaW5qZWN0aW9uIj48L2Rpdj4KPHA+U2V2ZXJhbCB0b3AgbmFtZXMgc2VsbCBhIHBvcnRpb24gb2YgdGhlaXIgbmV3LXJlbGVhc2Ugd2luZXMgPHN0cm9uZz48YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5kZWNhbnRlci5jb20vcHJlbWl1bS9zZXB0ZW1iZXItMjAyMC1yZWxlYXNlcy1ib3JkZWF1eC1wbGFjZS00NDM0NzUvIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub29wZW5lciBub3JlZmVycmVyIj50byBpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsIG1lcmNoYW50cyB2aWEgQm9yZGVhdXggUGxhY2UgaW4gU2VwdGVtYmVyIGVhY2ggeWVhcjwvYT48L3N0cm9uZz4uPC9wPgo8cD5PcHVzIE9uZSBoYXMgZG9uZSBzbyBzaW5jZSAyMDA0LCBhbmQgb3RoZXIgbmFtZXMgZnJvbSBDYWxpZm9ybmlhIGluIGdlbmVyYWwgaW5jbHVkZSBTb25vbWHigJlzIFbDqXJpdMOpLCBOYXBh4oCZcyBJbmdsZW5vb2sgUnViaWNvbiwgSm9zZXBoIFBoZWxwcyBJbnNpZ25pYSBhbmQgUXVpbnRlc3NhLCBwbHVzIEzigJlBdmVudHVyZSBmcm9tIFBhc28gUm9ibGVzLjwvcD4KPHA+PGVtPlRoaXMgaXMgYW4gZWRpdGVkIHZlcnNpb24gb2YgYW4gZXhjZXJwdCBmcm9tIHRoZSByZXBvcnQsIOKAmERlY2FudGVyIFByZW1pdW0gQ29sbGVjdG9y4oCZcyBHdWlkZTogTmFwYSBWYWxsZXnigJkgYXZhaWxhYmxlIG9uIHRoZSBEZWNhbnRlciBQcmVtaXVtIGFwcC7CoDwvZW0+PC9wPgo8cD4K"}
Also recently published