92pts James Suckling

A fruity and well-made cabernet sauvignon expressing aromas of dark berries, dried herbs, bay leaves and hints of cola. It’s full-bodied and rich with plush tannins. Generous and opulent with dark berries and chocolate in the finish.

92pts Wine Enthusiast

Thick, dusty, textured and made in a full-bodied style, this wine succeeds in its complementary marriage between savory cedar, cigar and pencil shavings and dark black fruit dipped in chocolate shavings. Lengthy, it has 5% Cabernet Franc, which appears to add violet aromas and additional herbal characteristics.

91pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon JAX Estate is a terrific value, with a plump, forward, delicious style in its blue fruits as well as classic tobacco and chocolaty nuances. Medium to full-bodied, nicely balanced, and textured on the palate, it has the vintage's pure, lively style as well as outstanding length. The blend is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged 21 months in 70% new French oak.

90pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Kirk Venge is doing a nice job with the wines from Jax Vineyards. This 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate boasts plenty of cassis, blackberries and blueberries on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied, showing lots of fruit and being nicely ripe and concentrated without going over the top into simple jamminess. Long, silky and immediately approachable, it represents a good value among the sea of Napa Valley Cabernets.

Winemaker Notes

JAX Vineyards sources this estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the family's vineyard in northern Calistoga. David Jackson purchased the family vineyard after 5 years of searching for his ideal terroir encompassing alluvial loam soil, dry farmed vineyards, and the elemental protection of their little valley. The JAX name represents an updated, modern twist of the family name.

Blend: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon 2% Cabernet Franc

Winery Notes

Brother and sister team, Trent and Kimberly Jackson collaborated with their vintner “green thumb” father to found their first label in 1996. Over time the two identified their unique niche among next generation wine enthusiasts. Outliers from the dominating short list of old school napa wineries, the two saw an opportunity to buck the “en vogue” winemaking style of their day to focus on the unique terroir of their family vineyard. After all, “change comes first at a small scale driven by the smaller more nimble producers.”

Soon after, cult Winemaker Kirk Venge was recruited to create balanced wines reflecting varietal character and a sense of place. Passionate about our vineyard site, integral to our clone and root stalk selections, and now 15 years in, Kirk has reinforced their instinct that focus should always be on “sense of place” to understand the nuances that allow us to make great wine.