2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard

Massimo Di Costanzo is one the most promising young winemakers in Napa Valley today. Production is tiny and limited to just one wine, a Cabernet from the Farella Vineyard in Coombsville. With the 2016 vintage, Di Costanzo has added a Cabernet from the Rafael Vineyard in Oak Knoll. A tank sample I tasted of that wine suggests Di Costanzo will soon have two top-tier wines in his lineup.

Massimo Di Costanzo. Make a note of the name now, because you will be hearing more about Di Costanzo as soon as the broader public has a chance to taste these wines. One of the most quiet and understated young winemakers in Napa Valley, Di Costanzo will tell you about his background, but only reluctantly. After receiving degrees in enology and viticulture, Di Costanzo worked at a number of prestigious estates around the world before coming back home to California. Di Costanzo makes no effort whatsoever to leverage those names, as most people reasonably would. Instead, he articulates a vision of making old school Cabernets like those of Cathy Corison and Randy Dunn, both of whom he admires. Quite honestly, these are the wines so many of Napa Valley's young winemakers want to make, but few have the courage to actually make. Starting a label is hard. It requires money, involves more risk than most people can stomach, and it takes time to realize a dream. Di Costanzo sources fruit from the Farella Vineyard in Coombsville, where the volcanic soils yield distinctive, mineral-inflected Cabernets. Di Costanzo's first wines were early essays in style and terroir. While certainly good, I felt those wines didn't fully capture the voice Di Costanzo was after. But with the 2013 and especially the 2014, Di Costanzo has two potentially fabulous vintages on his hands. I was not able to taste the finished 2013, as it was just bottled, but I am including a note on a barrel sample tasted this spring. As for the 2014, it is shaping up to be superb. These are two gorgeous wines from Massimo Di Costanzo, one of Napa Valley's emerging talents.