Ratings & Tasting Notes:
91 points James Suckling
Review Date: 03/2025
Plush and intense with deep-set, ripe dark berries, baking spices, roasted coffee beans and walnuts. Concentrated and dense on the full-bodied palate with spiced, cedary tightness to the tannins. Rich yet polished. Better from 2027.
Cult Wines International Notes:
Lewis Cellars was founded in 1992 by former IndyCar driver Randy Lewis and his wife Debbie, a partnership that brought the high-performance drive of professional racing to the artisanal world of Napa Valley winemaking. After a 23-year racing career that included five Indianapolis 500 starts, Randy pivoted to his second passion, initially crushing fruit at Oakville Ranch before establishing a permanent presence for the brand. The winery gained international acclaim for its bold, “opulent” style, a reputation cemented in 2016 when its Cabernet Sauvignon was named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year. In late 2021, the estate entered a significant new era following its acquisition by The Wonderful Company, which has since expanded the winery’s resources—including the purchase of premium vineyard sites in Calistoga and Conn Valley—while maintaining the hands-on winemaking team that defines the Lewis signature.
The 2022 vintage is described by Napa vintners as “the tale of two harvests,” characterized by a dramatic climatic shift that forced producers to be exceptionally adaptable. The season began with promising conditions, featuring healthy winter rainfall that broke a three-year drought and a temperate spring that fostered balanced canopy growth. However, a historic Labor Day heatwave saw temperatures soar into the triple digits for five consecutive days, causing fruit sugars to accelerate rapidly. For the “Grand Cuvée,” Lewis Cellars leveraged its long-standing relationships with premium growers across the valley to manage this intensity, utilizing cooling trends in October to allow remaining lots to reach full phenolic maturity. The result is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that captures the concentrated power and “muscle” the winery is known for, balanced by the refined elegance afforded by the late-season recovery.
Bottle Size:
750 mL
Storage History:
Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.
Condition:
Outstanding condition, as shown.
