Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

I’ll admit the first few tastings of vintage 2022 were a bit disappointing but even in the toughest of vintages, there are always bright spots. The Phelan Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon lot, a combination of the Papa and Elizabeth blocks, was always the shining star in every portfolio sampling. As we tasted through everything, the best wines were the ones most similar in color and structure to the vintages that preceded them. Here we didn’t have that history, so we were looking for a product of place. Sitting way above Lake Hennessey east of St. Helena in rocky, red-dirted soil, we knew something akin to Pritchard Hill is what we should find. Here we have a wine that tastes more like a 2021 than a 2022. The wine starts with a saturated to the rim black hue that only turns to ruby at the outermost edge. The fruit profile is kaleidoscopic starting with black/purple and moving to a cool blue, wintergreen note. On the nose, there are savory notes of creosote, sage, fresh tobacco and crushed rock, the latter note informing what you’d expect from the soil profile of this mountaintop vineyard. Structure is big but round, with no pokey tannins sticking out to clip the finish. This wine is one of the few true joys from the 2022 vintage. The only thing wrong with this bottling is how much we made, a scant 130 cases.

The final rounding out of the 2021 wines in barrel was especially important for the Last Rites Cemetery Vineyard bottling. This site is always a bit of a black hole in fermenter and the goal is to find some generosity in the finished blend somewhere during elevage. Vine age here has helped as well, the wine feels more dense and saturated than the equally structured 2018 version. Being the second consecutive drought year could have been a struggle for a site as well drained as Cemetery, but our experience with the vineyard helped us navigate that challenge and hang our blocks out until late September. This insured the abundant tannin of the vintage would be ripe enough to help flesh out the finish instead of clipping it. Dark notes dominate the fruit and savory elements with black cherry and blackberries leading into damp earth, fresh tobacco leaf, black olives and iron soil notes providing a multi-dimensional, layered texture. The tannins are abundant but ripe so they mark both the incredible nature of the vintage and the site. There is a little hint of blood orange and sous bois that adds some lightness to the very end of the palate adding one more note of complexity to what is already a very dynamic wine.

As much as we loved the 2018, this is a big step up from that first bottling. Vine maturity and vintage conditions get most of the credit for this improvement. This is a challenging site so every year should see better and better root development as the plants work their way down through mostly old creek bed cobble. The vineyard site can also see extreme heat being in the heart of St Helena but the cool-ish 2019 vintage saw very little dehydration anywhere in the valley. The high temperatures around Labor Day in 2017 forced us to declassify everything from Cemetery that year due to abbreviated hang time and lack of true development. In 2019, we were able to hang the fruit out as long as we wanted easily getting through the one heat event in September and making picking decisions based on flavor and tannin maturity. The resulting lots gave us plenty to choose from when we sat to finalize this blend. The 2019 is saturated black/purple all the way to the rim. Even the bubbles in the wine when you pour it are purple. The entire expression of the wine is very dark: chocolate, blackberries, black currants, cassis, black olive, cocoa and scorched earth run from the front of the wine to the back. Like a lot of wines on this soil type, there’s a nice balancing minerality, almost as if you can taste the rock in the vineyard. The tannins are abundant but perfectly ripe and help to buffer the dense, thick fruit profile. With all the best wines we make, there is a lot of everything present here but all in equal, balancing proportion.

After 5 years in the works, it’s nice to finally add this vineyard to the lineup. I was convinced there was no more great ground to be planted in Napa Valley until I saw this site with Matt in 2015. Having input on clonal material for every block further cemented interest in locking up all the fruit from this vineyard before it was even done with its first growing season. We made a little wine from here in 2017 but found it subpar for its own bottling. Waiting definitely feels wise now though as we begin cracking through our first few bottles of this inaugural release. The vintage complements this site well. The word that keeps coming to mind as I try this wine is amplitude. It’s so far above the Napa norm for Cabernet in color saturation, aromatic intensity and depth of flavor. There’s a great streak of minerality shooting through the whole experience that adds a sense of balance and restraint. The wine is pure black fruited showing notes of graphite, gunpowder, crushed rocks, violets and ripe blackberries. There is plenty of tannin here but it is perfectly ripe which helps to frame the finish without clipping it. It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited about rolling out a first vintage of anything but I certainly expect this bottling to achieve the same heights as several of the best client wines that have come before it.

Acid driven sites like Regusci Vineyard benefitted the most from the structure first 2021 vintage. There’s a completeness to this wine at release that separates it from all the vintages that came before it. That can also be attributed to our better understanding of what makes this site so special. Every year we have refined the selection within block 3 by focusing more on a vine by vine approach. We mitigated drought conditions at Regusci with a combination of vine maturity and moving around in the block a little to search for vine balance. Everyone likes to chase the best drained, most challenging soils but in a growing season like 2021, the more traditionally vigorous sections of the vineyard tended to be better. Soils with better water holding capacity were necessary for full canopy development and optimum ripening conditions. The 2021 Regusci continues the more savory expression we see from this site every year. It always leads with a sanguine edge and turns quickly to bay leaf, black olive and crushed stones. The floral quality here is more violet tinged complementing a palate of dark chocolate, blue and black fruits, incense and spice. Acidity helps frame and prolong the finish cutting into all the structure and density 2021 provided.

Stag’s Leap District has always had a stellar reputation for producing some of the best wines in Napa Valley. We’ve been enjoying a few bottles lately from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1978 vintage. The 1978 Cask 23 from earlier this year rivals any great older California Cabernet I have ever tasted, it was a revelation. 10 or so years ago though, it was hard to come up with more than a few great Stag’s Leap wines. I’m not sure exactly why, probably the combination of several factors (farming, consolidation, the decline of the original SLD generation) but the appellation felt like it was underachieving. That all started to change when a few new players moved in and everyone woke back up to the quality that had always been possible in Stag’s Leap. This was definitely one of the factors that led us to the Regusci Ranch (Matt’s father in law being Jimmy Regusci didn’t hurt either). Selecting a pristine center cut of clone 15 and then drilling down on making it as consistent as possible has improved this wine dramatically since its debut in 2014. The seamlessness of the 2019 is testament to the high quality nature of the farming at Regusci. The wine starts with savory notes of bay leaf, spice cake and incense. Black fruits dominate the palate complemented by cassis, black raspberry and dark chocolate. Acidity is always the balancing factor in Stag’s Leap with some of the lowest natural pHs in the Napa Valley. That acidity adds a cool blue fruited freshness to the finish making for a wine that has a weighty palate but one that isn’t heavy or tiresome. This will be a wine that drinks beautifully now but will easily go 20-30 years in the cellar.

We continue to refine everything about this bottling. Every year we have adjusted our small block within the Regusci Ranch adding and subtracting rows, partial rows, even individual plants to get the most consistent crop possible. In an abundant year that also saw above average rainfall, it was easy to walk this block and see variations in vigor that could be flagged to capture an ideal crop load and berry size. Just as overly aggressive canopy can be a bad sign for quality so too can an anemic amount of green growth. We sought to put our arms around medium vigor vines featuring a healthy, productive canopy but with small, loose clusters. What we got from this carefully selected block is a wine with no hard edges, a wine that tastes like it came from a million identical berries. There is great density, richness, acidity and structure but all in equal proportion. This is new school Stag’s Leap opulence with notes of scorched earth, incense, spice cake and licorice. The fruit profile here leans more toward the cool blue fruit side balanced by the tannin inherent in the vintage. This wine is so drinkable now but should easily go 20-30 years based solely on its density.

When comparing single vineyard wines across vintages, the ‘best’ years tend to be obvious. Obvious unless you are working with a world-class site that can transcend many vintage related markers. The Regusci Vineyard is one of those sites and other than the obvious youth of the 2017 Caterwaul Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between this release and the superlative 2016. Incredible depth with juicy polished fruit and fine-grained tannin, this needs some time (Day 2 is the current sweet spot) but the quality and stuffing is apparent from the first sip. Best after 2021.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Regusci Vineyard is a dense, powerful wine. Black cherry, plum, graphite, incense, bittersweet chocolate, lavender and cloves infuse the 2017 with tons of complexity and Stags Leap character. Readers should expect a dense, hedonistically opulent Napa Valley Cabernet. This is just superb.
– Antonio Galloni, Jan. 2020

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Regusci Vineyard is fabulous. Rich, inky and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous structure to play off the inky Stags Leap fruit. Crème de cassis, lavender, graphite, cloves, sage, white flowers and new French oak all run through this sumptuous, flamboyant Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2016 needs time for its tannins to soften, but it is tremendous, even in the early going.
– Antonio Galloni, Dec. 2018

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine that demands attention. Showy and voluptuous in the glass, the 2015 exudes richness in its inky fruit and overall soft contours. Crème de cassis, lavender, plum, violet and licorice shape this super-expressive, beautiful wine. As good as the 2014 is, the 2015 is shaping up to be even better.
– Antonio Galloni, Oct. 2016

A classic Stags Leap Cabernet, the 2014 exudes richness, power and depth. Graphite, crème de cassis, lavender, violets, chocolate and sweet spices infuse this beautifully expressive, sculpted Cabernet Sauvignon. Chocolate, inky black fruits and a dollop of new oak add the closing shades of nuance. The tannins need time to siften, but there is plenty to look forward to. The 2014 is gorgeous. It’s as simple as that.
– Antonio Galloni, Oct. 2016

Each vintage in Napa allows us to refine and perfect our vineyard sourcing. We are constantly on the hunt for quality fruit as we continue to grow this project and that openness gives us right to first refusal with many growers who want to make one phone call to find a buyer. Our 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon continues to deliver complexity and depth representative of fruit that is usually destined for single-vineyard bottlings. Inky dark purple in the glass, this wine lends aromatics of ripe cherry, dusky violets, and baking spice. The near-sweetness of roasted meats on the nose causes a mouthwatering reaction. Rich, opulent and full-bodied, the initial impact rewards the sip with a coating of dense marionberry compote, toasted oak and baking chocolate. Fine tannins frame and blend with a balanced acidity to create a lasting finish. This wine is clearly ready to shine out of the gate, and has the horsepower to drink well into the future if a bottle can be tucked away in the cellar.

The Napa bottling continues to be Caterwaul’s calling card. We’ve had a lot of success (and fun) with this wine, offering a true value driven Cabernet that punches way above its weight. The Napa bottling has allowed us to trial vineyards in all parts of Napa knowing we have a catch all for anything that might not be of single vineyard quality. With Matt’s family holdings in Pope Valley as our high quality base, we’ve been able to grab a few cooler, down valley sites to complement the warmth of his estate. Adding in barrels from my family of consulting clients has helped up quality every year especially in a vintage as good as 2021. The goal is to continue to grow this bottling, while keeping the price reasonable, and use its distribution to expose more people to Caterwaul’s smaller, single site wines. As wine consumers ourselves, it just feels good to offer a wine of this quality at this price. Dark, complex and structured, the 2021 vintage delivers a Cabernet Sauvignon profile that comes from having access to some of the finest vineyards in the Napa Valley. The wine displays a completely opaque, dark purple hue in the glass. Densely layered aromatic notes suggest plum reduction, quince, oolong tea, and cedar bark. The palate experience has an interwoven dark fruit core with lively baker’s chocolate notes that then lean towards brambly red fruit. Notes of blackberry paste, leather and cocoa nib dominate the mid palate while the lengthy finish expresses brighter notes of black raspberry, dark cherry and blueberries. The sleek mouthfeel is framed by finely integrated tannins and a balanced acidity, allowing for immediate enjoyment or a little nap in the cellar.

In 2019, we finally wised up and grabbed every great bulk lot from within the family we had access to. The success of the 2018 gave us a lot of faith in what we were offering and the robust demand the market had for a stellar $50 Napa Cabernet. With this new found greediness and a vintage that wasn’t that much smaller than the one that preceded it, we were able to almost double case production in one year’s time. We also grabbed a little more fruit from Matt’s Pope Valley piece to keep the backbone intact across the two vintages. The barrels we grabbed from the family will always be kept confidential but they represent some of my most long standing and high profile clients. People have asked what we think the price of this wine would be if we weren’t committed to holding it at $50. The answer is of course highly subjective but I’d say it easily competes with most wines out there in the $95-$110 range. The nose is very dark fruited with blueberries, blackberries, cassis and some graphite. The tannins are perfectly ripe which provides a seamless transition from entry to middle and helps showcase the dark currant and plummy palate. The 2019 Napa finishes with some savory elements of sweet tobacco and grilled bread complemented by baking spices and cocoa that linger for a minute plus.

There was so much good wine to choose from in 2018, it was hard to know where to start. This wine has been and probably always will be a combination of lots made from Matt’s Pope Valley estate and barrels purchased from within my family of clients. The huge advantage here is we get to react to what we start with and then augment as necessary. With everything else, what you ferment is what you get and most qualitative steps forward come from subtraction instead of addition. With this Napa edition, we had the ability to grab barrels of wines that could have made $150+ blends but were simply too voluminous for their initial intention’s perceived demand. This 100 barrel blend comes from all over the valley encompassing 12 separate sub AVAs from Calistoga down to Stag’s Leap and across the hills from Diamond Mountain to Mt Veeder. It should give you a really good sense of how great 2018 is across all of Napa Valley. Dark purple all the way to the rim, the wine opens with aromas of creosote, blackberries, espresso roast and toast. Now fully recovered from bottling, it has picked up density and weight adding a rich blueberry core to the palate complemented by baker’s chocolate, tobacco and licorice. This is the $50 Napa Cabernet bottling we imagined offering when we started this project.

Each year, we set out to make vintage transparent wines from great vineyards. The 2017 Caterwaul Napa Cabernet Sauvignon not only captures the essence of the vintage, it is an incremental step up from the prior release. Notes of dark fruit and raspberry are immediately apparent upon pulling the cork and the palate is full and round, with a light coating of vintage defining tannin. In the near term, this needs a healthy decanting and the early window should open in early 2021.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a fabulous wine in its peer group and price range. Rich, boisterous and flamboyantly ripe, the 2017 offers tons of immediacy. Super-ripe dark cherry and red plum fruit are pushed forward in this opulent, inviting Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Chocolate, new leather and spice punctuate the finish. This is one of the very best wines in its price range.
– Antonio Galloni, Jan. 2020

Caterwaul's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a gorgeous wine and a stunning value. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, leather and lavender all run through this sumptuous, beautifully ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. This mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon hits all the right notes. And it’s a tremendous value to boot.
– Antonio Galloni, Dec. 2018

Sourced from an old-vine vineyard just over the Napa County line on the backside of Mount Saint Helena, our Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon continues to produce a complex wine. Ruby red color on the edges quickly plunges into a dark crimson. Fresh-crushed bright raspberry, dark plum, and black tea leap from elevated aromatics. On the palate this wine pulls no punches. A weighty, expressive mouthfeel shows structure and complexity across the tasting experience. Chewy tannins frame notes of dark cherry, sandalwood, blackcurrant, and dried herbs de provence. The depth of the midpalate creates a runway for a long, seamless finish. A brightness on the back end shows the balance of the vintage and ties to initial aromatics, completing the circuit and signaling time for the next sip. We hope to pass along the quality and value given by this unique site in this special bottling.

The fruit for this bottling was sourced from the southeast corner of Sonoma County, almost touching the Napa County line. We were awestruck when we had the opportunity to purchase such high-quality old vine Cabernet Sauvignon from a site defined by gravelly loam soils in the shadow of Mount Saint Helena. This wine starts with opulent, mouth-coating, sleek dark fruit. The wine shows off an inky purple hue in the glass with a saturated violet halo. Vivid aromas suggest notes of roasted meat, cigar box, and crushed blueberries. The sumptuous palate expresses notes of currant reduction, cocoa, wild sage and dried black cherry. The plush, round mouthfeel is framed by exotic notes of baking spices and a fine tannin framework. We are so excited to see this wine come to life and believe this will be a benchmark for exceptional quality Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon at a fabulous price point.