Cabernet Sauvignon:

A Wine for both the Moment & the Ages

By Joseph Spellman, MS

Wine winds blow slowly. Although it may seem obvious that Napa is nature’s perfect location for grand Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wines, a generation ago much of the valley was busy planting Chardonnay and other white varietals that make some of ask now, “What were we thinking?”

The fact is, even while it was known that the geology and weather of Napa was ideal for intense, cellarable Cabernet Sauvignon and blends based upon it, the market was going through its own maturation, and learning the diction of varietal wine through a progression of flavors. These days it would be foolish to brag about dry Chenin Blanc on the Rutherford Bench, barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc in Oakville, or sweet Riesling in St. Helena. But along the way, such wines were made, and consumed with great pleasure, as Napa producers gave wine drinkers what they thought they wanted. Indeed, it was Johannisberg Riesling that in the early years put Phelps on the map.

By this point, however, we have narrowed our sights and are committed to growing Bordeaux varietals under the most optimal conditions possible. To that end we have spent 25 years searching out the perfect sites, acquiring land, and developing vineyards in seven unique areas of the Napa Valley in order to make Cabernet Sauvignon the centerpiece of our production efforts. Our goal is simple: to fashion a wine that is eminently compatible with food – a wine for the moment as well as for the ages.

Cabernet, being now almost universally understood to be Napa’s first and foremost calling card, can be vulnerable to criticism. Wines that are mysteriously pricey or magically scarce keep the neighborhood self-aware to a very high degree. But Joseph Phelps is not a hobbyist; we are a family winery with a vision. And that vision has always prized the best possible expression of fruit and craft. The grape variety is the medium through which flavor is uniquely associated with a place.

Cabernet has taken some hits—too oaky, too alcoholic, too tannic, too inky. But through all the distractions, Cabernet still owns the position of greatest prestige in wine. It is not likely that Bordeaux’s top châteaux will relinquish their global price leadership, nor covetable trophy status, anytime soon. But its natural inheritor, in the long view, of next-generation attention, is most certainly Napa.

While the number of producers in the Valley has caused immense fragmentation in the eye of the wine buyer, our goal is for Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to achieve benchmark status. In 34 years of learning and improving on ourselves, we are committed to making this happen. It is not our goal to be fashionable or to make wines that “score.” We hope that those who enjoy our Napa Cabernet are able to raise their eyebrows and note how delicious the wine is – and how good it makes them feel.

Joseph Spellman, MS, has been employed in the wine industry for 25 years, principally as a sommelier at some of Chicago’s top restaurants. He is a leading wine educator, writer and consultant, and has led many wine seminars throughout the US, UK and Australia. In 1996 Joe earned the prestigious Master Sommelier Diploma, which today is held by only 87 North Americans, and 148 individuals world-wide. Based in Chicago, Joe has represented the wines of Joseph Phelps Vineyards since 2005.