Napa elite: Cristaldi’s taste of Hundred Acre
1 Hundred Acre, Ark Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2019 100
£566.67-£604 (ib) Goedhuis Waddesdon, Jeroboams, WoodWinters
US$700-$735 Mission, Total Wine & More, Millesima USA
Had Jayson Woodbridge’s Hundred Acre wines been available in time for my 2019 Napa Cabernet vintage report (November 2022 issue), they would have swept in for top honours. The reasons are many, and exhibited in this medium- to full-bodied Ark vineyard Cabernet, beginning with complex aromatics of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry skin, with nuances of cigar box, sandalwood and vanillin. Finely knit, firm tannins build structure, balanced by blood orange acid tension. Drink 2024-2045 Alcohol 15.5%
Hundred Acre, Few and Far Between Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2019 100
£482-£505 (ib) Goedhuis Waddesdon, Jeroboams, WoodWinters
US$999 Estate Wine Brokers
Pure, lively and lifted, with an infusion of creamy blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruit on nose and palate. Gorgeously subtle whispers of cedar spices, white truffle and sagebrush layer in harmonic nuances. At 16.1% alcohol, there isn’t even a hint of heat. Reservedly powerful, with elegance, harmonious acidity and nobly ripe tannins that are smooth and refined, conferring a seamless tasting experience. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 16.1%
2 Hundred Acre, Wraith Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2019 100
£639-£701.67 (ib) Goedhuis Waddesdon, Jeroboams, WoodWinters
US$550-$650 Fine Liquors, Flickinger Jayson Woodbridge describes this blend of his three estate single vineyards – Ark, Few & Far Between and Morgan’s Way (formerly Kayli Morgan) – as a perfect snapshot of the vintage. I taste it over three days. On opening, a hit of resin, sap, cedar and graham cracker crust hints at what is lurking beneath as mineral nuances emerge. Red-toned fruits with intimations of black become more defined as pure black cherry, followed by hints of chocolate. A day later, it is still fragrant, with cedar sappy tannins and conifer, drinking almost like a rich
Pinot Noir. On the third day it begins to offer earthen humus notes and a sense of volcanic terroir, still broad and expansive, remaining balletic and almost weightless. An impressive feat. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 15.5%
Hundred Acre, Dark Ark Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2019 99
£901.67-£922 (ib) Goedhuis Waddesdon, Jeroboams, WoodWinters
Heady and stimulating aromas of creamy black fruit, liquorice, wet-slate minerals, ironstone and tobacco. The flavours and aromas shine in spectrums of red, black and blue, framing super-fine, polished tannins. Time in the glass reveals even more heady mineral nuances, exotic perfumed notes and a dazzling array of sweet herbs and spices. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 15.5%
Hundred Acre, Morgan’s Way Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2019 98
£566.67 (ib) Goedhuis Waddesdon, Jeroboams, WoodWinters
US$550-$700 Blackwell’s, Brix26°, Fine Liquors, Flickinger, K&L, Millésima USA, Porthos
Fresh raspberry and cranberry aromas are layered with spearmint, sagebrush and chocolate notes. Complex, infused with a dynamic energy powered by grippy acidity, bringing freshness and lift to the plush red and emerging black-fruit character. The finish is remarkably long, driven by pure crushed rock minerals. The wine is framed by perfect beams of firm tannins, resolving with notes of sweet herbs and blood orange. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 15.5%
3 Hundred Acre, Fortification Single Barrel, Four of Four, Napa Valley 2016 100
£639-£701.67 (ib) Goedhuis Waddesdon Molasses, redcurrants, walnuts, salted dark chocolate and toffee bark. Rich and dense with toasted crushed nuts and roasted espresso beans. Wonderful savoury notes underscore all this with dried Provence herbs. Allow Fortification wines to open in the glass, as they will reveal extraordinary aromas over an evening. Creaminess builds with burnt caramel and baking spices. Impressive balance of concentration and lightness. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 18.5%
Hundred Acre, Fortification Single Barrel, Two of Four, Napa Valley
2016 98
£639-£701.67 (ib) Goedhuis Waddesdon Gorgeous golden raisin notes, blackcurrants, walnut husk and orange peel with underpinnings of tobacco. A hauntingly beautiful sweetness envelops the palate. Bold, rich, complete and compelling, with remarkable tension framed by silken textures and a panoply of memorable expressions running the gamut of hazelnuts and holiday-spiced almonds to caramel-toffee bark, crème brûlée notes and Black Forest gateau. Drink 2024-2045 Alc 18.5%