Ratings & Tasting Notes:

97+ points Wine Advocate

From an estate-owned hillside vineyard just east of the Silverado Trail in Oakville, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard delivers overt notes of charred oak and pencil shavings against an intense backdrop of black cherries. This blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot is full-bodied and muscular, with a long, mocha-tinged finish. With its masses of ripe tannins, it’s a strong, concentrated effort capable of aging three decades.

This was my first opportunity to sit down and taste with Senior Director of Winemaking Ryan Knoth, who took over from Ashley Hepworth in March 2023. His previous winemaking experience includes stints at Sinegal, Gondola and Staglin. “It’s a 50-plus year legacy I’m trying to build on,” he said. “And changes I want to make will be subtle.”

The biggest thing, said Knoth, is that “from 2023 on, everything will be estate fruit—even the Napa Cabernet. We’re starting on a regenerative agriculture approach here at the home property and focusing more on quality.

Cult Wines International Notes:

The wine is sourced from the Backus Vineyard, a small, 21-acre property located on a steep hillside in the Oakville appellation of Napa Valley. Joseph Phelps leased the land in the 1970s and made his first Backus vintage in 1977. He later purchased the vineyard, ensuring that his winery would be the sole producer of wines from this unique site. The vineyard’s rocky, red volcanic soil and hillside location are key to its character, producing grapes with concentrated flavors and a powerful structure.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.

Condition:

Perfect.