Napanook, Napa Valley, 2018
Aromatically enticing, a ripe nod to the silkier side of Pomerol, this purrs with plummy dark cherry fruit then fine gravelly notes. Fleshy but wonderfully fresh, refined and sleek, the palate has a fine line in mocha, sweet earth, and fine dark berried fruit. Hugely moreish but also nuanced and interesting. An excellent Napanook, produced from fruit harvested from the sunny southern side of the vines, aged for 16 months in French oak barels (20% new), and composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.
critic reviews
The 2018 Napanook is every bit the charmer it was last year. Succulent and racy out of the glass, the 2018 is such a gorgeous wine. Silky tannins and generous fruit give the 2018 so much immediacy and appeal. Black cherry, plum, menthol, spice and licorice are pushed forward.
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Napanook leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of fresh blueberries, black cherries, crushed blackcurrants and redcurrant jelly with hints of pencil shavings, red roses and dusty soil plus a waft of bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is very tightly wound, allowing glimpses at loads of mineral and savory nuances among the taut black and red fruit notes, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with a compelling herbal lift.