94 Points — Decanter
Critics are calling the 2023 Napa Valley vintage—including high-elevation appellations exceptional, highly consistent "legend in the making" with balance, structure, and freshness.
Crafted by winemaker Robert Smith (Philippe Melka’s right-hand man and the talent behind Quintessa, Seven Stones, and Covert Estate), this is what Napa mountain Cabernet looks like when absolutely everything goes right in an epic vintage.
Food Pairings
The Classic: Charred Ribeye or Filet Mignon with Herb Butter · Slow-Braised Beef Short Ribs or Osso Buco · Wild Mushroom & Truffle Risotto · Aged Hard Cheeses (Aged Gouda, Aged Cheddar, or Manchego)
Winemaker
Since 2011, Robert Smith has served as Estate Winemaker at Quixote Winery in the Stags Leap District, where working alongside consulting winemaker Philippe Melka, he has built a reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah of precision and structural depth. His approach is old-world in its patience — long macerations, meticulous barrel selection across multiple cooperages, and no bottling before the wine is ready. His work with Delectus represents a return to mountain fruit, and to the kind of site-driven winemaking that shaped his palate from the beginning.
Vintage
Wine Spectator rates the 2023 Napa Cabernet vintage with a preliminary score range of 94–97 points, describing it as a growing season shaped by a wet winter followed by a steady, dry, and cool climate.Growing Season & Character. A wet winter replenished water supplies, leading into a steady, dry, and cool growing season. Mountain-grown Cabernets from appellations like Howell Mountain (sitting above the 1,400-foot elevation line) benefit from these cooler, steady conditions, typically yielding distinctive, structured wines with bright fruit and fine tannins.
Varietal: 100% Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain District, Mount Veeder
Winemaking: Clean & Sustainable, Hand-Harvested, Small Lot Production
Aging: 26 months, 70% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.6%
94 Point Vintage
Deep garnet core with an elegant ruby-brick rim—a striking sign of its library maturity. Aromas of black cherry, cassis, and macerated blackberry, seamlessly transitioning into sophisticated layers of cedar, graphite, crushed violet, and cured tobacco. A savory accent of bay laurel, cocoa nib, and warm earth adds impressive intrigue. The palate delivers dense dark fruit framed by velvety, melted tannins and vibrant acidity that keeps the wine lifted and fresh. Finishes long and seamlessly, lingering with espresso, black plum, aged leather, and a fine crushed-stone minerality.
95 Points
Entices with aromas of Bing cherry, raspberry, and cedar spice. Indicative of the cool vintage, the wine carries a freshness throughout. The palate offers a harmonious balance between bright red fruit, spice, and nicely woven tannins.
93 Points
Aromas of blackcurrant, dark plum, and cedar unfold alongside soft notes of vanilla and toasted oak. On the palate, structured tannins frame layers of black cherry, baking spice, and a subtle herbal lift from the Merlot blended beneath the Cabernet's backbone. Medium-bodied gem with good concentration finishing long and warm, with lingering impressions of cocoa and dried fig.
94 Points
Aromas of fresh lime, verbena, and gooseberry are followed by a juicy, aromatic front palate with bright acidity that wakes up your taste buds. The heightened aromatics develop even greater complexity on the mid-palate, featuring fresh lemon and star fruit, with just a hint of green apple and mango. Gorgeous structural precision leads to a long and chiseled finish with lasting minerality.
96 Points
Aromas of Bing cherry, raspberry liqueur, and purple flowers drive the nose of this energetic Syrah which is co-fermented with a whisper of Viognier. Gracing the palate are dark berries, plum, blackberries, peppercorns, hints of sweet tobacco, and well-positioned oak spice with plush acid and rich tannin peaking through the finish.
Exceptional
In the glass this wine open with aromas of ripe black cherry, bark, cedar, dried orange peel, a touch of black pepper. The palate equally rich with flavors expanding into notes of fresh picked cherry, chocolate, and crushed stone and a touch of white pepper. Together, these lavish flavors, coupled with an elegant mouthfeel and a long engaging finish make a fantastic wine.
90 Points
Aromas of cranberry, sour cherry, plum, and orange rind, complemented by hints of forest floor, pine needles, and rosemary. The wine opens with flavor of juicy red fruit supported by spicy undertones of red pepper and black tea. The freshness of its red fruit are enhanced a vibrant core of light acidity and full rich tannins all of which linger gracefully in the long finish.
94 Points
A full-throttle, blackberry-driven red, laden with chalky minerality and layered with robust tannins. Violet scents mingle with fig and plum fruit in a medium- to full-bodied expression that hits all the right chords, delivering a pleasing one-two punch to the senses.
94 Points
Dark purple in color it opens with explosive aromas of wild blackberry, and a touch of vanilla oak. The palate is bursting with ripe juicy flavors of boysenberry, raspberry and wild cherry, accented by layers of cedar, cacao, cinnamon and briary spice. It’s bold enough to stand up to any BBQ, yet smooth enough to sip on the patio as the sun goes down. Enjoy now and for the next 6-8 years.
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