2018 1881 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml

“Now,” said Jean-Charles Boisset as he pushed aside the Champagne and $100+ Burgundies, put down fresh glasses, and poured his 2018 1881 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. “Try this.”

Boisset, who hails from Burgundy, is a flamboyant superstar vintner with an immigrant’s love of Napa. It was at Oakville Grocery—the landmark that JCB recently purchased—where he shared his 1881 Cabernet with us.

“People can find Napa Valley wines anywhere,” he said, “so when they come to this place, we want to give them something they cannot experience anywhere else.” He filled everyone's glasses with the dark-ruby Cabernet, saying,. “We want to give them something they’ll never forget.”

The 1881 Cabernet Sauvignon is JCB’s unforgettable, nowhere-but-Napa experience. Hailing from one of this century’s greatest vintages, drawn from JCB’s limitless sources in the mountain AVAs and on the Napa Valley floor, and made under the eye of 100-point consulting winemaker Philippe Melka and Raymond’s Stephanie Putnam, it was meant to be served and sold at JCB’s tasting room at Highway 29 and Oakville Cross—and nowhere else.

But after we followed JCB’s lead and took a big sip, we knew we had to bring it to our members. Bursting with crème de cassis, ripe blueberry, and black plum swathed in violet petal, clove, and cacao nibs, it’s generous and full, with rich tannins that melt over a long finish. It’s the kind of Cabernet that made Napa famous.