Advent Tastings: Napa Valley Cabs

Why not serve 2023 Tilth Napa Reserve Cabernet or the 2022 Conn Creek Anthology Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon? Okay the $123 & $75 SRP respectively may be an issue.
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Power and generosity define this Reserve Cabernet from winemaker Keith Emerson (of Vineyard 29 and Gundlach Bundschu Winery). Unsurprisingly, there is a firm spine of crunchy acid tension underpinning the wine, and from there it is quintessentially Napa: bold dark fruit, hedonistic yet well-integrated toasty oak, and a core of focused red and black fruit resting on a bed of robust, firm tannins that provide real grip and drive. Readers familiar with the Tilth wines should note the dramatic transformation they have undergone in recent years, especially under Emerson’s direction. Today, they are far more structured, more cellar-worthy, yet ultimately approachable and best enjoyed alongside a meal.
— 94 points, Decanter
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Anthology is Conn Creek winery's vintage snapshot of Napa Valley in that fruit from nearly all its 16 sub-AVAs is sourced and blended into this single bottling. In 2020, a challenging year, 15% Cabernet Franc joins the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to reveal a pleasant and harmonious wine, with soft, supple, juicy dark berry fruit nuanced by sweet oak spices and rustic, powerful Napa tannins that frame the plentiful fruit.
— 90 points, Decanter
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