Sara and Jonah Beer founded Pilcrow with a simple but radical mission: to revive the quiet, soulful Cabernet style that defined Napa from the 1960s through the 1980s—low alcohol, minimal new oak, organically farmed fruit, and an unwavering commitment to freshness and place. Their first “Ghost Block” release in 2016 immediately signaled that something special was happening: a return to Napa’s heritage of elegance over power. Every vintage since has deepened that identity. 

The newly released 2022 Pilcrow “Ghost Block” Cab embodies their philosophy completely, which is why this new release is reserved for our VIP members—it’s one of the most distinctive, honest, and quickly selling single‑vineyard Cabernets we offer each year. 

We tasted it last week, and after an hour’s decant, it became flat‑out impossible to put down—a delicious throwback in every sense.

The Hoxsey family—descendants of Napa pioneer George Yount and longtime stewards of some of Yountville’s most historic vineyards—are famously protective of Ghost Block. Only a tiny handful of producers ever get access, and even fewer are allowed to bottle it as a vineyard‑designate. Pilcrow’s four‑row allocation is one of the smallest in the entire valley, which is exactly why their bottling is so coveted. This micro‑parcel gives Sara and Jonah an unusually pure window into one of Napa’s most storied Cabernet sites, resulting in a wine defined by authenticity, restraint, and a deep sense of place. 

The vineyard itself is a geological and historical marvel. Although Ghost Block sits on the valley floor, it is literally a mountain vineyard that fell from the sky—a fragment of the Vaca range sheared off by a prehistoric seismic event and deposited in Yountville as a mound of exposed volcanic rock. The name “Ghost Block” honors George Yount, whose nearby resting place is said to watch over the vines. Pilcrow’s interpretation is the most immediately accessible bottling from this site, offering plush black and blue fruit, savory herbs, fine‑grained tannins, and a quiet power that builds with every sip, all while maintaining the freshness and lift that define the estate’s style.

Jonathan Cristaldi of Decanter Magazine captured the wine perfectly in his 96‑point review, praising its sauvage aromatics, tanned leather, bay laurel, blue fruits, violet florals, and its rare ability to show generosity without sacrificing balance. This is a wine that drinks beautifully now yet promises 10–20 years of graceful evolution. It is a multiple‑bottle purchase for anyone who loves Napa Cabernet: a true cult‑Cab killer at a fraction of the price, crafted with the soul, restraint, and integrity that made Napa great in the first place. 

Cheers and taste well!

Critical Acclaim:

96 Points, Decanter Magazine, Jonathan Cristaldi:

• “The aromas are wild and sauvage, with notes of tanned leather, tobacco, sage, bay laurel and spearmint, layered over dark berry fruit. Full-bodied on the palate, this wine may not have the same nervy tension as Pilcrow’s Coombsville or Mt. Veeder bottlings, but it delivers impressive density and a savoury appeal, with emerging blue fruits and violet florals. There’s a wonderful plumpness and soft richness to the fruit, accented by warming spices. Generous from nose to finish, it’s a beautifully built wine that shows none of the stress of a warm vintage. Balanced, with great presence and sheer drinkability, it’s a wine to enjoy now while the Coombsville and Mt. Veeder cuvées continue to slumber in the cellar."