2019 Lail J Daniels Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a serious collector piece. This is the benchmark of the Lail Family and made by Napa’s greatest winemaker Philippe Melka, the 2019 Lail Cabernet Cuvee J Daniels is another classic that has reached the Napa Cabernet mountain top. The Lail Family can trace their wine history back five generations to 1879, when their great-grand uncle Gustave Niebaum founded none other than the iconic Inglenook Vineyards. Robin Lail, who is essentially the force and face of Lail Vineyards, was also a co-partner of Dominus with Christian Moueix until he purchased her interest. Robin named the wine after her father John Daniel. Melka is the hottest winemakers in Napa currently, makes or has made Dominus, Bryant, Hundred Acre, Petrus, Adamus, Gemstone and Seavey, the first Winery to see his genius. Cabernet collectors take note! Here is an incredibly deep and exceptionally structured rendition that more than deserves the much-overused term “classic”. This is as good as Cabernet gets!

The 2019 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon is a barrel sample with a deep garnet-purple color. It needs a little coaxing to unlock pronounced blackcurrant preserves, Black Forest cake and stewed plums scents with hints of star anise, clove oil, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil with a waft of roses. Full-bodied, the palate explodes with vibrant black fruits, framed by wonderfully plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Beautiful! 100 Pts Parker’s WA

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee is just about pure perfection and another example of Napa Valley magic. All Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 80% new French oak, it offers an incredible bouquet of pure cassis and blackberry fruits as well as textbook Pauillac-like notes of graphite, tobacco, toasted spices, and chalky minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it’s one of those wines that somehow marries incredible intensity and richness with no sensation of weight or heaviness, perfect balance, and a layered, multi-dimensional style that’s hard to describe. It shows more tannins and chocolaty oak with air and needs to be forgotten for 4-6 years, and it will be a 40+-year wine. It’s heavenly juice. 99pts JD