The wines from Napa Valley are somewhat infamous for being expensive and difficult to get your hands on, as many of them are sold exclusively to people who are subscribed to a winery’s list. In this article we’ll cover some of the best Napa wines that you can find on the market, if you’re willing to spend the extra money to get them.
Red wine recommendations
2016 Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
This blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot is as close to perfection as a wine can be. The intense purple hue of this full-bodied, rounded, exhilaratingly textured masterpiece is complemented by a powerful aroma of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, barbeque smoke, and scorched soil. It possesses remarkable power and intensity and flawless integration of its fruit, tannins, acidity, and oak. Despite this, it still floats over the palate without any heaviness or sense of weight. It will be a legendary Napa Valley Cabernet with a three-decade or longer shelf life.
2017 TOR “Black Magic” Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
This wine has a traditional structure and an almost flawless center palate of ultra-fine tannins that run throughout the entire bottle. Aromas of black fruits, anise, black tea, clove, cinnamon, exotic spices, and dark chocolate combine to create complex layers. The wine has amazing aging potential so you’ll probably have to wait 5 years before uncorking it. Only 100 cases were made so be ready to put up a fight if you’re serious about getting your hands on a bottle.
2018 Colgin “Tychson Hill” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
“Tychson Hill,” named after Josephine Tychson, is a unique expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from a historic vineyard. It was the first of two vineyards that Colgin bought in the 1990s. In addition to having some of the most rare volcanic soil in the Napa Valley, “Tychson Hill” is ideally located in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, just north of St. Helena. It is renowned for its ethereal qualities, as well as floral notes and red fruit that can be identified in every vintage.
2017 Continuum Red Blend Napa Valley
Of all the Ghost Horse wines, the Fantome is the smoothest and softest. There are lots of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, cedar, and baking spices in it. It has a long and lingering finish and is perfect for wine lovers who want to expand their palate and move on to trying more complex wines. Keep in mind that in order to get your hands on this bottle you’ll have to subscribe to the winery’s waiting list.
ZD Wines Abacus Cabernet Sauvignon
Abacus is a “solera style” multi-vintage blend made from each and every vintage of ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ever made and aged in barrels before bottling. The novel idea combines the best qualities of both worlds: the fruit of a young wine and the accumulating layers of complexity in older Cabernets.
The incredibly brilliant young winemaker behind the Araujo family’s new Accendo project and the recently independent Bella Oaks estate is Nigel Kinsman. After a rocky beginning that required a name change from Kinsman to Kinsman Eades and the difficulties of the 2017 vintage, this 2018 trio of wines clearly demonstrates the potential that this region has to offer.
White wines recommendations
2019 Kongsgaard The Judge Chardonnay
Maggy and John Kongsgaard, who are fifth-generation locals of Napa, started their winemaking business in the 1970s by establishing The Judge vineyard on the Kongsgaard family’s property close to Napa. The first Kongsgaard wines appeared in 1996, and the family’s underground winery, a cave carved out of volcanic rock high on the eastern rim of the Napa Valley where the Kongsgaards have established a magnificent mountain vineyard, is where the wines are made today. The robust, graceful wines produced by these intensively farmed, shy-bearing vineyards and a classic low-intervention winemaking process are vivid reflections of the vineyard and variety. A lavish and luscious Chardonnay with skillful barrel blending.
2017 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc
One of the most expensive Napa white wines you can find on the market. Despite being known for its world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Screaming Eagle has also produced incredibly small amounts (about 30 to 50 cases) of Sauvignon Blanc since 2012. This wine distinguishes itself from others in the region for its amazing levels of flavor intensity and precision, much like their flagship red. The 2017 is a stunningly vivid, medium-bodied wine that perfectly balances richness, texture, and freshness. This would make a perfect pairing with sushi and sashimi. It smells of pineapple, white peach, citrus peel, lemongrass, and classic honeysuckle notes.