Spottswoode 2022 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley

Spottswoode’s 2022 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon strikes me as poised and deliberate—its structure echoing the estate’s long legacy of organic farming and classicism. The vineyards sit on well-drained alluvial clay loam, with cool maritime breezes that steer this wine toward elegance rather than weight. It’s Cabernet built with a sense of place.

The aromatics pull you in with blackcurrant, black cherry, and cassis, followed by layers of violet, violet-stem tea, graphite, and a hint of cedar and baking spice. It doesn’t hurry to impress—it sits with clarity. 

On the palate, it’s medium-bodied but energetic. The tannins are fine-grained, framed with a creamy texture along with violet and floral lift, cedar, and that mineral thread that gives the finish both tension and persistence. This is a Cabernet that asks you to pay attention, not to be dazzled. 

Spottswoode has always led with purpose—farmed organically since 1985 and biodynamically since 2008, long ahead of the trend. That discipline translates here. This isn’t a wine about scars or power. It’s about clarity, heritage, and balance.