Chimney Rock Stags Leap District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

From Chimney Rock Winery — the Stags Leap District estate named for the dramatic volcanic spire that rises above its Napa Valley vineyards — comes a Cabernet that captures everything collectors love about this celebrated corner of California. Chimney Rock came into focus as a modern winery in 1980, and it has spent the decades since proving that Stags Leap fruit makes Cabernet of uncommon polish: powerful, yes, but never heavy-handed.

This is a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend, rounded out with a little Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc for seamlessness. Expect a full-bodied pour of blackberry, black cherry and cassis, threaded with peppery clove spice and a whisper of vanilla from its time in oak. The texture is the signature here — velvety, concentrated and beautifully polished, carrying through to a long, lingering finish.

At roughly 14.8% ABV it has the backbone to stand up to a charred ribeye, a rack of lamb or a board of aged hard cheeses, and the depth to reward a few years in the cellar for those who’d rather wait. Decant it for an hour, let it open, and pour it at the centre of the table.