St Helena 2020: The top Cabernets from this Napa AVA
The Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges nearly come together at the St Helena AVA. The region features some of Napa's most recognisable names. Jonathan Cristaldi shares his top wines from St Helena.
QUICK LINK 2020 Napa Cabernet: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
North of Rutherford, the St. Helena AVA encompasses nearly 5,000ha, with over half planted to vine. Because the Macayamas and Vaca Mountains nearly converge just north of the town of St. Helena, the valley forms a narrow point much like an ‘hourglass’ that locks in heat during the day. From alluvial fans to hillside sites, the warmth and well-draining soils tend to produce wines of a more robust nature, with dark-fruited profiles and supple, silkier tannins.
Scroll down for the top-scoring St Helena 2020 Cabernets
In 2020, the resulting wines embody all those aforementioned qualities. They are among the most full-bodied, round, and rich wines of the vintage, with the softest tannins and most upfront drinking appeal.
Spottswoode winemaker Aron Weinkauf finished harvest on 26 September, avoiding the turmoil of the Glass Fire a day later, and has produced one of the best fine wines of the vintage, not to mention the Napa Valley-appellation Lyndenhurt Cabernet, a top-value of the vintage.
St Helena 2020: the top-performing producers
- Morlet Family Vineyards
- Corison
- Spottswoode
Cristaldi’s value picks
95 points Clos Pegase, Block 7, St. Helena, Napa Valley 2020
94 points Salvestrin, Dr Crane Vineyards, St. Helena, Napa Valley 2020
93 points Whitehall Lane, Leonardini Vineyard, St. Helena, Napa Valley 2020
St Helena 2020: the top-scoring Cabernets
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Spottswoode, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2020
2020 Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon - St. Helena NV /// Lovely fragrant blackberry and black cherry fruit, cassis, and rich tobacco spices...
2020
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Corison, Kronos Vineyard, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2020
Cathy Corisons’ iconic Kronos Vineyard bottling from St. Helena is made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. Remarkable purity...
2020
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Morlet Family Vineyards, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2020
Such an elegant pure, pretty wine with finesse of character and juicy, bright energy. Heady and lifted aromatics lead with red and black-toned fruit, cherry...
2020
Morlet Family VineyardsNapa Valley
Corison, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2020
Medium to full-bodied, beautiful and restrained, with savoury aromatics of fennel, black liquorice, cedar, and black currants. Soft, satiny blackberry fruits are lifted by fine-grained...
2020
CorisonNapa Valley
Corison, Sunbasket Vineyard, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2020
Cathy Corison's newest single-vineyard designate from Sunbasket Vineyard in St. Helena AVA, aged 20 months in 50% new French oak, shows the prowess of excellent...
2020
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Clos Pegase, Block 7, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2020
Crafted by the talented Robin Akhurst, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 7 comes from Block 7 on the Milat Ranch in St. Helena. It was...
2020
Clos PegaseNapa Valley
Whitehall Lane, Leonardini Vineyard, Napa Valley, St Helena, Napa County, California, USA, 2020
The 2020 Leonardini Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a single vineyard on the western side of St. Helena resting on a gravelly, alluvial fan. Clone 4...
2020
Whitehall LaneNapa Valley
Gallica, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, 2020
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a site in St. Helena off Sulphur Creek, planted on Cortina-series soils. It is an intensely aromatic red with...
2020
GallicaNapa Valley
