This luxurious Napa Cabernet is one of those wines that tastes like every single grape used in its production went through extreme vetting before entering the fermentation tank. And for fans of the Napa boutique winery Vineyard 7&8, this wine’s appellation—Oakville—is a departure from their norm.
Their singular focus has always been Spring Mountain and its estate vineyard there, but when they were offered a small amount of fruit from Oakville’s legendary Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard, a limited-edition blockbuster was born. Now in the second vintage of what is expected to be a three-year run, Vineyard 7&8’s Oakville bottling is like a rare ‘b-side’ known only to insiders; only 100 cases are produced, and until they generously made some available to us, it was a mailing-list-only addition to their lineup. Billed as an “exploration” of a new terroir, this 2012 is a dense, layered, exceptionally powerful expression of one of Napa Valley’s acknowledged ‘grand crus.’ Sourced directly from the winery and not obtainable anywhere else, this is a one-of-kind snapshot of Napa at its opulent best.
A dark, opaque purple core moves to garnet and purple reflections on the rim. The explosive nose captivates with aromatics of cassis, black cherry liqueur, and ripe black plums layered over notes of licorice, new leather, wet violets, Tahitian vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove (there’s no question as to the quality of barrels used here!). This is high-octane Cabernet, a ripe, rich seductress that still retains freshness for superb balance. The full-bodied, round palate—buttressed by the finest, most filigree tannins—boasts intense fruit that moves into soft earthy tones and extravagant baking spices, with a lingering finish that is full of poised, generous fruit. It’s in its juicy prime now and will perform at the top of its game over the next 5 years. To enjoy, simply decant for 20-30 minutes and serve in Bordeaux stems between 55-60 degrees. Do not serve this wine too warm or the aromatics, alcohol, and oak spices will not reveal their ideal balance. Serve alongside a double-cut ribeye steak and enjoy.