Wine Enthusiast: "Tremendous quality and complexity"
- 95 pts Wine Enthusiast95 pts WE
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2018 AXR Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
95-Point Member-Favorite Napa Cab
You don’t have to look far to see why the 2018 AXR Napa Valley Cabernet has absolutely flown into the cellars of our savviest collectors. It channels the immense talent of Jean Hoefliger—the winemaker behind a long list of $200+ wines at Alpha Omega, AXR, and The Debate—into a bottle that Wine Enthusiast awarded 95 points and Editors’ Choice honors, lauding the wine’s “tremendous quality and complexity for the price.”
The 2018 AXR is the delicious result of an optimal growing season—few heat spells, no threat of rain—and the spectacular vintage comes through in every sip. The wine is lush and precise, bold and balanced, with stunning aromas of blackberry preserves, purple flowers, mocha, and graphite that beckon from the glass. The palate is equally luxurious, layered with dark fruit, spice, and wonderfully integrated tannins that carry everything to a long, balanced finish.
After the 2018s went into barrel—and after the excited chatter among growers and winemakers reached its peak—the critics made their rounds, tasting wines like the AXR. The ensuing raves sent collectors into a frenzy. Wine Spectator gave the vintage a best-ever 99-point score, while Vinous called the wines “simply mind-blowing.”
After receiving a viticultural degree in Switzerland, Hoefliger did formative stints in Bordeaux at Château Carbonnieux and Château Lynch-Bages before turning his focus to the New World. In Napa, he’s made his name creating wines that easily sell for $200+ per bottle.
Rich, generous, and intricately detailed, the 2018 AXR exemplifies Napa Cabernet excellence, crafted by a true globe-hopping talent.