Cult Wines International Notes:

Shari and Garen Staglin bought their Rutherford Bench property in 1985 and have spent forty years building it into one of Napa’s most respected estates, farmed organically and certified sustainable. Salus is the estate’s second wine, drawn from the softer side of the same estate fruit and from the newest plantings — the same soils and the same hands behind the flagship Estate Cabernet, in a more approachable register.

The name is the point. Salus is Latin for health and wellbeing, and the entire proceeds of these wines fund mental health research. The Staglins have raised well over a hundred million dollars for the cause through their annual Music Festival for Mental Health, held at the vineyard since 1995, making Salus one of the very few wines in Napa where the label itself is a philanthropic instrument.

2021 was among the finest recent vintages in Napa. A dry, cold winter and a drought season produced small berries with thick skins and considerable natural concentration, while a largely uneventful growing season let fruit ripen slowly and cleanly. Expect a deeply coloured wine of real density, showing cassis, black raspberry and dark plum over espresso, cocoa nib, graphite and warm spice, with fine-grained tannins and a polished, lengthy finish. Approachable now with air, and built to reward several years in the cellar.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored properly in a climate controlled cellar.

Condition:

Perfect