Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Parts 1 & 2

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 07, 2021

Napa Valley experienced two stunning back-to-back vintages in 2018 and 2019 the likes of which I have never seen. Both vintages produced a bevy of breathtaking wines that will thrill Napa Valley fans. The 2018s are refined and vibrant, while the young 2019s have a bit more depth and energy. 

Tasting During a Pandemic 

Last Spring I decided I would taste all the wines I always taste and publish my normal schedule of articles, pandemic or not. That was probably overly optimistic, but we went for it anyway. For the first time ever I was not able to travel to Napa Valley for my tastings. That’s quite a departure from a typical year in which I spend more than a month in the region between tastings and our map work. On a personal note, this was a very hard article to write. So many winemakers I spoke with recounted harrowing tales of the 2020 fires unlike anything I have ever heard before, and I have heard and seen a lot.

One of the biggest myths around wine tasting and criticism is that somehow wines taste ‘better’ at the properties. After having tasted several thousand wines from around the world at home over the last ten or so months, it is pretty obvious this is just not true. In person visits allow for conversation and a level of context that virtual tastings can’t fully replace. At the same time, tasting with some distance allows for a full focus on the wine, just on what’s in the glass. Another positive aspect of tasting at home is having the ability to follow wines over hours and even days, something that is obviously impossible when traveling. What’s not so positive? Well, taking out the garbage and dealing with recycling are at the top of the list. 

I know I spent more time with each single wine than usual. In fact, some estates received their most glowing notes and highest scores ever from me this year. Maybe next year they will politely decline my request for an appointment. “We would rather you taste our wines at home.” I can see it now…

An early morning 2018 pick at Vine Hill Ranch. 

The 2018 Growing Season & Wines 

After a very challenging 2017, vineyard managers, estate owners and winemakers welcomed 2018. It was a year with very even, cool weather, no major heat events or other shocks to speak of and a long, relaxed harvest. But 2018 was not without its challenges. Smoke from the Mendocino Complex Fire impacted some parts of the valley, especially Atlas Peak and Howell Mountain. I remember being in Napa in mid-August that year and seeing hazy skies in the distance. Had it not been for the smoke, some producers might have continued to hang fruit, but fires ultimately drew the curtain on the 2018 harvest. Sadly, there are some wines with smoke taint. More on that later. Yields were generous, so much so that when I started tasting the wines in barrel, in January 2019, I was shocked to see the number of barrels in some cellars. Most winemakers I spoke with relayed that the 2018s were difficult to extract and required a bit more time on the skins.

The cool growing season, drawn out harvest and high yields naturally invite comparisons to another recent vintage, and that is 2012. As Vinous readers know, I have never really liked 2012 all that much. The wines were light and lacking in complexity, but they were hyped because they followed 2011, one of the most difficult growing seasons of the last decade. There is no doubt 2018 is a far superior vintage. As a group, the 2012s had more of a red-toned fruit profile. The 2018s are decidedly darker, deeper and more serious wines. They also offer greater complexity, with bright acids and plenty of structure, which is evident to varying degrees, depending on the wine. 

What the 2018s don’t quite have is the visceral thrill factor of the truly great recent vintages such as 2013 and 2016, but they come very close. Improvements in farming and winemaking elevate many 2018s into the stratosphere. There are so many 2018s that are simply mind-blowing. But what stands out most about the 2018s is their consistency. It is very hard to go wrong with a bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.