| Critic |
Score |
Take |
| James Suckling |
94/100 |
Soft and supple, with blueberry, blackberry, plum, potpourri and ferric-earth notes; full-bodied, fine tannins, bright acidity and a fruity/spicy finish. |
| Perry Miroballi, Chicago Wine Press |
No numerical score published |
Dark plum, violet, blackberry, fig, dark chocolate, sweet spice and pencil-shaving notes; full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and classic Rutherford dust. He says it can be enjoyed now with decanting and should develop for 10+ years. |
Assessment
94 points is the clearest published professional score I can substantiate. The reviews point to a fairly classic, polished Rutherford Cabernet rather than an ultra-ripe, extracted style: dark fruit, graphite/earth, violet, cocoa, bright acidity and dusty/fine tannins.
Duckhorn says the wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% alcohol, and aged 16 months in French oak—50% new and 50% neutral.
Drinking window: I'd be comfortable opening it now with 1–2 hours of decanting, but its tannic structure and acidity suggest it should improve over roughly the next 5–10 years, with longer aging possible. The independent Chicago review specifically sees 10+ years of development.
Bottom line: Excellent 2023 Napa Cab, 94-point territory, with a strong Rutherford signature. At around $80 retail from Duckhorn, I'd consider it a good buy for someone who likes structured, classic Napa Cabernet rather than a heavily opulent style.
