Other Napa Valley AVAs: top Cabernets from the 2019 vintage
From Yountville, Diamond Mountain and Oak Knoll, to Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak and Chiles Valley – we've picked out 19 top Cabernets from other Napa Valley AVAs worth seeking out from Jonathan Cristaldi's 2019 vintage report.
QUICK LINK 2019 Napa Cabernet: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
The Napa Valley is California‘s first (and the US’s second) recognised American Viticultural Area (AVA), ratified in 1981. And within this famous wine-growing region are 16 sub-AVAs.
Eight of these are highlighted separately in Jonathan Cristaldi’s report – see links below – but here we look at five other Napa Valley sub-AVAs whose vineyards and producers delivered top Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in 2019.
Scroll down for the top-scoring Cabernets from other Napa AVAs in 2019
Yountville is a relatively flat AVA, on mainly gravelly silt loams, that benefits from fog and cool ocean influences. Vineyards in Diamond Mountain District, by contrast, lie between 120m and 670m on volcanic soils, giving firmer more structured Cabernets than the velvety, supple wines of Yountville.
Napa Valley’s largest alluvial fan, formed by Dry Creek, is the defining feature of the Oak Knoll District, whose vineyards enjoy a moderate to cool climate at up to 250m, giving elegant Cabernets. Most vineyards are above the fog line in Mount Veeder, between 150m and 800m, with the sandy-loam soils giving powerful, tannic, ageworthy reds.
Also above the fog line, from 230m to 800m, the cool, dry, volcanic terroir of Atlas Peak delivers distinctively high-acid Cabernets with bright fruit flavours. Meanwhile, windy Chiles Valley, between 180m and 370m, has a large diurnal temperature swing giving plush yet structured cherry-berry driven reds.
Other Napa AVAs 2019: the top-performing producers
- Kinsman Eades
- Davies Vineyards
Cristaldi’s value picks
98 points Ad Vivum, Sleeping Lady Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville, Napa Valley 2019
96 points Antica, Townsend Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Atlas Peak, Napa Valley 2019
93 points Smith-Devereux, Nancy’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Oak Knoll, Napa Valley 2019
QUICK LINKS
Napa Cabernet 2019 – individual analysis by AVA:
Calistoga | Coombsville | Howell Mountain | Oakville | Rutherford | Spring Mountain | St Helena | Stags Leap District
PLUS: Top-value Napa Cabernet 2019 – the best to buy
Other Napa Valley AVAs: the top-scoring Cabernets in 2019
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Napa Cabernet 2019: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
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Ad Vivum, Sleeping Lady Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Yountville, California, USA, 2019
The personal project of winemaker Chris Phelps of Inglenook. Since his days at Dominus in the 1990s, he continues to show a deft hand with...
2019
Ad VivumNapa Valley
Kinsman Eades, Anjea Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Yountville, California, USA, 2019
Though he doesn't list the site on his label, winemaker Nigel Kinsman, who co-owns this label with his wife Shea, sources the fruit from Sleeping...
2019
Kinsman EadesNapa Valley
Lokoya, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Mt Veeder, California, USA, 2019
Powerfully aromatic black fruits, dried herbs, dark-roast coffee beans, toasty oak and dried flowers. Full-throttle, structured and dense, with firm, elongated tannins and compact black-toned...
2019
LokoyaNapa Valley
Kinsman Eades, Rhadamanthus, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain, California, USA, 2019
The personal project of winemaker Nigel Kinsman and his wife, Shea. The name is derived from their surnames. Their first vintage was 2016 and the...
2019
Kinsman EadesNapa Valley
Mt Brave, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Mt Veeder, California, USA, 2019
Showcasing the lovely freshness of high-elevation Mt Veeder grapes. Vivid boysenberry and mulberry fruits give way to mountain herbs, dusty minerals and rich toasty cedar....
2019
Mt BraveNapa Valley
Antica, Townsend Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak, California, USA, 2019
From Piero Antinori's 9.7ha Townsend Vineyard planted at 487m and overlooking Rector Canyon. Bright red berry fruit is tinged with cinnamon spices on the nose,...
2019
AnticaNapa Valley
Gentleman Farmer Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll, California, USA, 2019
Jérôme Chéry, longtime winemaker for Saintsbury, and Littorai before that, makes this wine for Jeff Durham, whose family has farmed vines in the Oak Knoll...
2019
Gentleman Farmer WinesNapa Valley
J Davies Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain, California, USA, 2019
From the the Davies family, proprietors of Schramsberg. Here they show a deft hand with Cabernet. Fragrant dark berry fruit, sweet liquorice, delicate wild herbs,...
2019
J Davies VineyardsNapa Valley
Newton, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Mt Veeder, California, USA, 2019
Lovely, lavish dark fruit notes, tobacco spice and coffee beans. The weighty palate is loaded with savoury black olive, black forest cake and wild mountain...
2019
NewtonNapa Valley
Davies Vineyards, JD Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain, California, USA, 2019
Spice plums, mulberry blackberry, thyme and chocolate on the nose. Sweet ripe fruit rides a wave of satiny tannins that mingle in the mouth with...
2019
Davies VineyardsNapa Valley
Grgich Hills Estate, Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Yountville, California, USA, 2019
Legendary winemaker Mike Grgich is winemaker emeritus here now, while his nephew, Croatian-born Ivo Jeramaz, manages day-to-day operations. Older vines supply the grapes for this...
2019
Grgich Hills EstateNapa Valley
Lobo Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak, California, USA, 2019
A long, three-week maceration period followed by fermentation in stainless steel with twice daily pumpovers and less stirring. Aged in 75% new French oak, separate...
2019
Lobo WinesNapa Valley
Stringer Cellars, Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Yountville, California, USA, 2019
This unfiltered, organically farmed, single-vineyard old Mondavi clone Cabernet offers an incredibly rich nose of muddled dark berries, vanilla, hints of liquorice and oak spice....
2019
Stringer CellarsNapa Valley
Materra, Vine 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll, California, USA, 2019
Chelsea Barrett (daughter of Heidi and Bo Barrett of Chateau Montelena) leads the cellar here with help from Caryn Harrison and consultant Michael Trujillo. Perfume...
2019
MaterraNapa Valley
Smith Devereux, Nancy's Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll, California, USA, 2019
This 100% Cabernet comes from partners Ian Devereux (a writer and musician), Steve Smith (a music act manager) and John Anthony Truchard, who was raised...
2019
Smith DevereuxNapa Valley
Girard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain, California, USA, 2019
From winemaker Glenn Hugo, a very pretty, initially reserved wine, but give it some time to reveal its elegant crushed stone minerality, cherry and raspberry...
2019
GirardNapa Valley
Trefethen Family Vineyards, Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll, California, USA, 2019
Very pretty aromas of blackberry, plums and new leather. Pure and sleek palate of black- and blue-toned fruit, graphite, dried rose petals and herbs atop...
2019
Trefethen Family VineyardsNapa Valley
Nichelini Family Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Chiles Valley, California, USA, 2019
From the Chiles Valley AVA in the hills east of St Helena. Aimée Sunseri the fifth-generation of the Nichelini family, crafted this enticing red with...
2019
Nichelini Family WineryNapa Valley
Clockwise, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Yountville, California, USA, 2019
Brandied cherry, caramel, earth and violets give way to a medium-bodied, plush red marked by a streak of vanilla that pierces the juicy red and...
2019
ClockwiseNapa Valley
