2023 Cabernet Sauvignon

Spottswoode remains a benchmark in Napa Valley. Proprietor Beth Novak Weber and longtime winemaker Aron Weinkauf turned out some of the most compelling wines I tasted during my fall trip. The estate has been farmed organically since 1985 and biodynamically since 2008, well before these practices became the mainstream concepts they are today. That focus on long-term resiliency, including no watering pre-veraison, was crucial in 2022. Weinkauf picked young vines early, as he felt those did not have the carbohydrate storage, root systems and canopies to withstand the heat. Most of the core blocks for the Spottswoode Cabernet came in after the Labor Day heat spike. Weinkauf reported no major changes to his approach to sorting or vinification.