2021 Marciano "Estate" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The 50-hectare estate (11 hectares planted) shares a property line with Edge Hill Estate and underwent a full replanting between 2008 and 2012. Maurice Marciano, a name many Angelenos will recognise from Wally’s Wine Shop, which he also co-owns, is the proprietor. The estate also produces kosher wine. The site was planted by David Abreu, with Bastien Lucas as the winemaker and Benoit Touquette consulting since 2018. Morgan Maureze crafted the 2021 releases. Aged 22 months in 75% new French oak. A powerful, up-valley wine with terrific density and super-expressive tannins that are immensely long and seamlessly knit together. They are velvety, coating the palate and forming a strong foundation for supple blackberry and cherry fruit laced with elegant cedarwood spices. A bright saline-acid backbone builds with juicy richness, finishing with lovely red and violet floral flourishes. Compact, well-structured, and showing great tension—definitely a cellar-worthy wine. (JC)