2019 Heir Apparent Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley 750 ml

When we were starting out in this business, many of our Cabernet finds came from Napa locals who had access to incredible grapes and made wine in quantities too small to attract much attention. Today, 16 years later, discoveries like that are still our favorites because they often hit the sweet spot between terroir and value in a way few others can match. 

Enter the 2019 Heir Apparent Cabernet Reserve. We came across it last vintage only because an assistant vineyard manager poured it at a small birthday dinner we went to for a Napa native, and only a couple hundred cases of it existed. We got a small share, while the rest went to local high-end buyers, restaurants, and mailing lists.

Rich, full, and robust, with enveloping aromatics of blackcurrants, violets, raw chocolate, and Madagascar vanilla, Heir Apparent displays all the seductiveness and complexity of the superlative 2019 vintage while staying nicely balanced.  

We can’t share the names of the vineyards Heir Apparent sourced for this Cabernet, but by looking at a map you can get a sense of the truly impressive terroir they tap. Located in Rutherford, the winery lies in close proximity to iconic properties like Scarecrow, Staglin Family Vineyard, and Inglenook. Most of the grapes were sourced from this area, along with a dollop of St. Helena and Coombsville fruit to stiffen the spine with even more fruit concentration, setting this wine to cruise in the cellar.

Lovers of deep, decadent Napa Cabernets that typically command price tags of $100 or more should love this classic expression. It’s drinking incredibly well now but is also ready to rest and develop over the next decade-plus.