Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022

Salvestrin! It seems like you’ve either been there for an old-school tasting that’s still clinging to your heart, or you’re not sure you’ve heard of them. It’s time. This is real-deal, boutique, family-run Napa Valley. 

If you’re a Cabernet person, you’ve almost certainly heard of the Dr. Crane Vineyard – probably the most famous vineyard in St. Helena. It was planted in 1858, and the Salvestrins bought their portion of it just one fortuitous year before Prohibition was repealed. The winery is hiding in plain sight on Highway 29, the valley’s storied spine, just south of downtown. Four generations of the family have lovingly worked the estate, with a background of kids and dogs running through the vines at the foot of a gracious white Victorian that now serves as their Inn. Rich Salvestrin and his wife Shannon are at the helm, still living on site and making wine “where the heart is” as they like to say. Joe Czerwinski at Robert Parker says the wines “clearly merit attention and are attractively priced for their quality and pedigree.” 

And what do we have in the glass? Honesty. Balance. “It's fresh, inviting, has levity with generosity, fine, silky tannins, elegant red and black berry fruit with minty nuances…” wrote the Tasting Panel in their exuberant review. James Suckling observed “A trim, well-balanced red with the feel and freshness of a Tuscan wine.” That’s the sincerity.

The 2022 is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. The clean, cold mineral nose has that ineffably expensive feeling, with Bing cherry and sandalwood leading. The palate glides straight across home plate, with more cherry and blueberry, a minty lift, and some brown sugar and a dusting of baby powder. The spice on the finish laces its fingers with the tannin and alcohol to catch one last juicy handful of fruit on the very end. This is not tense enough to say “tension,” yet it’s firm enough to hold your attention… incredibly drinkable only four years past harvest, so we feel zero guilt opening this with abandon. As the Salvestrin family writes: “They can be enjoyed without ceremony. They slip effortlessly into the rhythms of daily life.” Beautiful.