2018 Eisele "Altagracia" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Deep purple-black in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia slowly grows on the nose, developing into profound scents of black currant cordial, baked plums and wild blueberries with suggestions of bouquet garni, black pepper, pencil lead and fertile loam plus a touch of beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is delicately played with beautiful definition and lots of red berry and earthy accents intertwined with the black fruits. Supported by velvety tannins and just enough freshness, it finishes long and mineral laced. (LPB) 95+

A couple years back I was lucky enough to get the full tour of Eisele Vineyard with General Manager, Antoine Donnedieu. After walking the vineyard and spending a few hours tasting with Antoine, I was able to fully understand how Eisele’s Altagracia Cabernet is differentiated from the Eisele Vineyard Cabernet "proper." First off all they are from the same vineyard. The famed plot of land that is Eisele Vineyard is really quite a small fairly inconspicuous parcel of vines just south of Calistoga, a little ways off the Silverado Trail. The vineyard itself is quite parcellated, dissected by a couple creeks that are visual markers of the varied, gravely soils below. Eisele's flagship bottling is taken from the prime tenderloin of the estate and the oldest vines. Younger vines and the eastern portion of the vineyard, whilst farmed and made the same way, goes into the Altagracia bottling. So Altagracia really does let you get a taste of this famed Napa terroir for considerably less than the “Grand Vin.” On tasting them side by side I must say the difference is far less than the price point might indicate. Yes, fifty years from now my money would be on the top wine, however, if your planning on drinking the wine within the next 5-15 years you'll want to be giving the Altagracia a long hard look. It has same signature Eisele black and purple fruit elements, floral aromatics, gravelly mineral tones, pencil shaving and new leather and loamy earth. The tannins are fine and long, the acidity beautifully vibrant lending a freshness that evades some of it's peers. A wonderfully refined wine choosing precision and focus over brute force but powerful none the less. Whilst not exactly inexpensive, I'd say all things considered this represents a very smart buy in the world of iconic, age-worth, pedigreed Napa Cabernet, especially in this spectacular 2018 vintage.