2018 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml

Every winegrower on Earth prays for one thing each fall: hang time. 

In 2018 in Napa Valley, vineyards got a little drink of rain in early October, but then there was no more precipitation until November 23rd. This meant that everyone could pick at their leisure in every AVA—especially the late-ripening mountain ones—and the grapes’ extended stay on the vine made for a spectacular vintage, one that Wine Spectator awarded 99 points.

The 2018 Bell Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon—made up mostly of Atlas Peak and Coombsville fruit and crafted by a highly respected alum of BV—achieved perfect maturity in that gorgeous season, and it shows in every sip. Elegant and delicious, it was a UNANIMOUS hit with our tasting panel. 

Our history with Bell Wine Cellars goes back decades, so that’s what makes our offer of this 2018 a little bittersweet: it was founder Anthony Bell’s final vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon before his retirement—and it may well be his best, thanks to a flawless harvest.

In 1977, Bell, a South African viticulturist, arrived in Napa Valley. He soon landed an interview at Beaulieu Vineyards with the legendary André Tchelistcheff. Tchelistcheff—struck by Bell’s education and enthusiasm—hired him on the spot, naming him assistant winemaker and viticulturist at BV, where he stayed for 15 years and became well-known for his research into Cabernet Sauvignon clones. Bell founded his eponymous wine label in 1991, and in 2002, he took on the Spanos and Berberian families as partners. They own the winery today.

Not a whit is out of place on this Cabernet Sauvignon. All of Anthony Bell’s viticultural and winemaking expertise went into making it, and it’s ripe, satisfying, and worth every cent.