Description
Cardano Estate, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
After tasting Cardano Estate’s 2018 Napa Cabernet and being informed of its phenomenal $42 price tag, a thought immediately came to mind: This would ruin reputations and turn the entire Cult Cab model upside down if placed in a $150-$300 lineup. When I later sat down to write this article, I browsed the web to see if other wine minds agreed, and it took mere seconds to find corroboration.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, former Editor-in-Chief at The Wine Advocate, was deeply impressed by its richness and purity, and Jeb Dunnuck, the guru of full-bodied reds, declared that “it will compete with wines three times the cost.” Now here’s the curveball: Cardano Estate launched just a few years ago, so how have they already generated so much buzz? Because of the man behind the controls, Ed Snider, one of the few fabled winemakers who’ve received “100 Points” from Robert Parker. That perfect scoring cuvée was his 2013 Beau Vigne “Reserve” from Atlas Peak, which just so happens to be the same AVA source of today’s stupendous Cabernet. As you likely know, we don’t do scores around here, but this is certainly a perfect bottle for those who want opulence and precision in their Napa Cabernets. And again, all this for $42…
Despite its youth, Cardano Estate is deeply rooted in the annals of Napa winemaking. In 1913, Ed Snider’s grandfather emigrated from Cardano Al Campo, Italy to begin a life in the vines. If only he could’ve seen Ed dominating the press and earning a triple-digit score with his Beau Vigne label from 1999 until 2018. This is when Ed sold Beau Vigne and, in homage to his grandfather, he launched Cardano Estate with his son Nicholas to provide Napa Cabernet drinkers with affordable wines.
Overflowing with dark-fruit liqueurs, charred violet, and volcanic rock, this is as powerful, pure, full-bodied, and pedigreed as Napa Cabernet Sauvignon gets at $42. And the reason, aside from a top winemaker, is the location. We’re not actually in the baking oven that is the valley but rather way up in Atlas Peak, perched 1,200 feet off the floor. This cooler climate and higher altitude lend incredible lift, verve, and poise to today’s hedonistic beauty. Therein lies the skeleton key to unlocking the greatest Napa Valley has to offer.
Sourced from their four-acre estate vineyard on Pritchard Ridge, Cardano’s mostly dry-farmed fruit was hand-picked and varietal-separate fermentations occurred in stainless steel tanks. After blending, the wine matured in French oak barrels, 55% new, for 20 months. This powerful, full-bodied 2018 Cabernet is chock-full of brawny muscle and silky depth that play off each other so beautifully. There is no excess heat felt here, no sappy/inky concentration either—just pure, deep, luxurious mountain-grown fruit shining through a formidable core of crushed black rock, pencil lead, and oak spice. Decant for 30 minutes minimum and serve in your largest Bordeaux stems. Enjoy now and over the next 5-7 years. Cheers!
