2019 Pilcrow Cabernet Sauvignon Ghost Block Vineyard Yountville Napa Valley 750 ml

Making “quiet wines” doesn’t sound hugely ambitious—until you know the story of Pilcrow’s Sara and Jonah Beer. 

Seasoned veterans of Duckhorn and Frog’s Leap, respectively, Sara and Jonah longed to make wines that captured the spirit and style of “old Napa.” Drawing inspiration from past icons like Lee Stewart (Château Souverain), Nathan Fay (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars), and Al Brounstein (Diamond Creek), they aimed to make thoughtfully crafted bottles that amplify terroir rather than hide it behind heavy-handed cellar theatrics. 

Their exquisitely rendered 2019 Ghost Block Cabernet perfectly expresses how successful they’ve been. Decadent on the nose but fresh on the palate, it’s a gorgeous expression of Napa Cab at its most seductive and balanced. 

“Pilcrow Wines have managed to captivate a wide number of wine drinkers with their 'Old Napa' approach,” says Decanter. “Elegance, tension and transparency are some of the qualities that Sara Beer manages to deliver in every wine.” 

The Ghost Block Vineyard in Yountville is a geological unicorn: Around eight million years ago, a portion of the mountain peak fell into the center of Napa Valley, creating a hill of rarely exposed soils—so it grows mountain fruit on the valley floor! Certified organic since 1991, the vineyard’s matchless combination of down-valley cool mornings, south-facing warmth, and volcanic soils yields grapes with soft, plush tannins and lively acidity. 

In the cellar, Sara highlights Ghost Block’s terroir by leaning on the techniques that put Napa on the map, including a short maceration time and minimal new French oak. The resulting wine’s complex nuances and graceful power are reminiscent of classics like Heitz and Spottswoode: high-toned, honest, and full of character.