91pts James Suckling

A luscious, relaxed wine that’s so soft you wouldn’t think it’s a cabernet until the finish, where a touch of tannin comes in. Plump blueberries, blackberries, dark chocolate and vanilla bean on a full body with a broad, plush texture.

91pts Wine Enthusiast

Tart cherry, candied plum and blackened spices linger through notes of cacao and freshcracked pine. This wine fills the mouth with melting tannins that carry into a long finish.

Jeb Dunnuck

Sweet red and blue fruits, incense, and floral, spicy notes emerge from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, a charming, round, supple, and sweetly fruited effort to drink over the coming 5-7 years.

About the Wine

Sourced exclusively from the JAX family vineyard, our flagship Cabernet reflects its unique Calistoga terroir. Aromas of blackberries, cassis, and forest floor unfold into a perfectly ripe palate framed by grainy tannins and layers of savory notes. This wine showcases great length and balance.

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.