This is what a project feels like when it has found its groove. The combination of a few years of experience with the same fruit sources and the brilliance of the 2019 vintage give us a great deal of comfort presenting these three wines to you. All the peripheral noise of birthing a winery has fallen away. Everything feels so settled that our only focus is making the lineup better and better each year. Just like 2018 you will see, in our opinion, the best QPR in Napa, a tenderloin selection from Regusci Vineyard in the Stag’s Leap District and the second edition of the Cemetery Vineyard bottling from an A+ piece of dirt in St. Helena. I have a slight preference for the 2019 vintage overall due to its increasing density in barrel and bottle and its mouthwatering freshness that allows the wines to retain a lightness on the palate while also providing great impact. These qualities tend to be hallmarks of vintages balanced more by acidity than structure. We always say the best growing seasons are the ones you don’t really remember due to their lack of weather-related drama. 2019 featured a small heat event just after Labor Day that took a little advanced preparation to get past but then we saw warm but manageable heat for the rest of harvest. In the great years, we get into a nice roller coaster pattern where we see a few days of polishing heat followed by a few cool days to pick what matured in the previous days’ warmth. We saw that in 2019 which allowed us to leisurely harvest a slightly above average crop from mid-September to mid-October. The wines in barrel started off with an upfront mid-weight appeal but gained weight, density and complexity as they aged, much like what we saw in 2016. With no wines yet confirmed for 2020 (definitely no single vineyard wines), this elevated quantity and quality should provide a nice bridge to a hopefully great and abundant 2021 vintage.
I myself purchased 3 bottles of the Napa Valley and 1 bottle of the Cemetery Vineyard. Almost purchased one of the Regusci’s, but decided to still pass on it.
This coming from FWIW territory……I tasted the 2019 Napa at Total wine, which has had it for a few weeks now. Whereas I have found the 2018 to be a bit brawnier, and very typical TRB cabernet: not unlike RM Napa and good value for the price, the 2019 struck me as better balanced and more elegant, and again, a nice cab for the price.
I just had a bottle of the '19 last week at Bones Steakhouse in Atlanta; I was surprised they had it, but as many have said, it’s a great wine for the price. I also have a couple bottles at home, too.
Not sure who writes the notes on the letter but first line of the Cemetery - “As much as we loved the 2018, this is a big step up from that first bottling. Vine maturity and vintage conditions get most of the credit for this improvement.”
I thought the 2018 was very good for the price, and all indications 2019 is better. I doubt you’ll find a better wine for $50 if you like ripe but balanced Napa cab.
It’s been a minute since I had the 18 Cemetery, there is a little more of everything in the 19. More precision, more structure and more volume if that makes sense. I loved the 18 for the rich, palate coverage it had - the 19 has that as well, but with a little more depth, power.
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