For over 20 years, Highlands Winery operated in "stealth mode." No flashy parties for critics, no chasing 100-point scores—just a crew of Napa legends (including veterans from Silver Oak and Cornerstone) making world-class Cab for those in the know.
But all good things must come to an end. Following the passing of partner David, the winery is taking its final bow with the 2020 Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. Sourced from a premier, undisclosed Coombsville site, this is everything a "Swan Song" should be: Rich, opaque, and sophisticated.
The Vibe: An "old-school meets luxury" Cabernet crafted by industry insiders who finally decided to retire.
Palate: Surprisingly fresh for a 2020. It sidesteps the overripe "jammy" notes of the vintage, instead delivering urgent bursts of blackberry, cassis, and boysenberry.
Structure: The Coombsville terroir shines through with a cooler finish that reins in the center-valley richness. Expect seamless, velvety tannins and a sophisticated oak profile (20 months in French oak).
Coombsville, Napa Valley
Tucked into the foothills of the Vaca Mountains, the Coombsville AVA spreads out to the west of the town of Napa and up the slopes of Mt. George. The soil is primarily volcanic in origin and proximity to the Bay keeps the area awash in fog and sea breezes. Because of its proximity to the San Pablo Bay, Coombsville experiences cooler temperatures compared to AVAs further north, allowing later grapes harvest and at more developed phenolic ripeness. The wine shows generous soft tannins and notes of dark black fruits such as blackberry and blackcurrant while retaining moderate alcohol and refreshing acidity.
Vintage
Coombsville being a little cooler than the main part of Napa benefited by being able to ripen slowly and evenly and produced notable elegant Cabernet with fresh dark fruit, violet notes, and fine-grained tannins. Cooled by San Pablo Bay fog, the wines here display a more restrained profile than warmer Napa areas, and produced profiles that are opulent and velvety, with beautiful concentration, color and depth.
Winemaking
The fruit was harvested by hand, carefully destemmed, then sorted and gently crushed into small fermenting tanks for 12 days, with an additional time on the skins to maximize the extractions of aromas, flavors and tannins. The wine was aged for 20 months in new French oak barrels.
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Coombsville District, Napa Valley
Aging: 20 months
Type of oak: 100% French oak barrels
Harvest date: Sept. 23 – Oct. 10, 2020
Bottling date: August 2022
Alcohol: 14.2%
Production: 141 cases
Temperature Control Shipping
All Central, Midwest & Eastern orders ship via temp control truck.
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
97 Points
Lush and fleshy, with cassis, boysenberry, and blackberry notes guided by hints of alder and mesquite. Stays open but defined through the finish, with a buried hint of sweet tobacco. A rich, layered beast, this has a nose rife with currants, blackberries, vanilla, and light toast with flavors of mocha, plum, and Bing cherry that mingle harmoniously on the tongue.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
96 Points
Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, huckleberry, floral violet and savory spice. The palate is full and layered, with robust, age-worthy tannins and gorgeous flavors of dark berries, mocha and chocolate-covered cherries mingling with hints of graphite, fig and fine leather. Smooth tannins, firm structure and silky texture coat the palate on route to a long, generous finish.
93 Points
Aromas of fresh peach, Asian pear, citrus, and honeycomb delight your senses. Flavors are just as complex with hints of Madagascar vanilla followed by fresh lemon, green apple, wildflower honey, stone fruit, and a touch of lavender. Its rich, dense texture is balanced by its juicy acidity, leading to a long satisfying finish.
91 Points
Shimmering ruby-purple hue. The nose is a walk through a damp Sonoma forest—mossy bark and wild earth—brightened by high-toned notes of cranberry sauce and blood orange. On the palate, it's generously long in the mouth, with good concentration. It's a masterclass in tension: intense, cherry and red current fruit meets dark spice and fine, sandy tannins.
95 Points
Aromas of wild berries, black fig and ripe dark fruits are intertwined with hints of fresh mountain herbs, mineral, leather, savory spices, and cigar box. On the palate, the rich fruit flavors of dark cherry, ripe plum, blackberry, red currants and cassis are layered with notes of wild sage, dark chocolate truffle, cinnamon, clove, and a kiss of oak.
Gold Medal
Light pink in color with aromas of watermelon, cranberry, orange rind, and fresh spring flowers that leap from the glass. The palate offers more peach, strawberry, and melon, with an intriguing note of rose and hibiscus. It's crisp with just the perfect hint of red fruit, and delicate whisper of strawberry that gives goosebumps.
96 Points
Bold and luxurious with inviting aromas of blackberry, black cherry, tobacco, notes of cedar and savory spice. The palate is full and layered, with robust, age-worthy tannins and gorgeous flavors of dark berries, mocha and chocolate-covered cherries mingling with hints of graphite, fig and fine leather.
92 Points
Lofty aromas of ripe red fruits layered with notes of crushed violets, berry cobbler, cherry and creme brulee leading into crushed blackberry with cassis, mocha, leather, mineral, and baking spice. Its all encompassing and bold mouthfeel are outstanding, as deep tannins dance around the palate, finishing with flavors of blackberry, fig, and pipe tobacco.
Exceptional
Aromas of bright oak, essence of lilac, toasted brioche and sage delight your senses. Flavors are just as complex with hints of soft melted butter, quince, fig, and a touch of lavender that titillate your taste buds. Its delightful texture is balanced by great acidity, leading to a long satisfying finish. Truly a chardonnay lovers top pick.
Chewy & Ripe
Dark purplish-black with aromas of ripe black plums, bacon, blackberry jam, and black tea. Dense, chewy and ripe across the palate with a nice mid-palate texture and weight. Rich, structured, and complex, with a long evolving finish.
92 Points
Inviting aromas of ripe cherry, strawberry, and pomegranate. The palate unfolds with layered flavors of black cherry, raspberry cordial, vanilla bean and spice, where focused tannins envelop, leading to a rich red fruit finish with blue fruit undertones.
93 Points
Depth, balance and big flavors. The nose evokes black cherry pie, licorice, plums, vanilla, and notes of chocolate. On the palate, it bursts with cassis, red currants, toasted walnuts, and chocolate. This wine has great texture that ultimately finishes with round, silky smooth tannins.
