2020 Synthesis by Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml

The label simply says “Napa Valley."

But the lineup of vineyards that goes into Martin Ray’s 2020 Synthesis Cabernet boasts a Big Red Machine level of quality.

The backbone of the wine comes from a coveted vineyard in Oakville, on the other side of the knoll from Screaming Eagle. It’s matched with heavy-hitter sites in Stags Leap, Rutherford, Mt. Veeder, and Diamond Mountain that are farmed by names like Beckstoffer and protected by strict NDAs. Crafted by 100-point winemaker Keith Emerson, this wine easily merits its flagship status at Martin Ray.

The Martin Ray team conceived of the Synthesis bottling as a yin-yang challenge of capturing Napa terroir—a way to step outside their single-vineyard approach. They decided to combine the fruit from high-elevation AVAs like Howell and Diamond Mountain with Valley-floor grapes that show the classic character of Stags Leap and Rutherford.

The result is an ideal Napa Cab, with the dense, bramble-y tones of the mountain grapes perfectly complementing the plush richness delivered by the ripe fruit from lower in the Valley. Ever since its inaugural vintage, Synthesis has been a favorite, carefully tracked by Cabernet-loving bargain-hunters vintage to vintage. 

The 2020 is a standout, the result of a strict barrel-by-barrel selection that made this one of the smallest-ever releases under the label. In the final blend, a seductive 40% new French oak put an appealing mocha sheen on the wine’s bold, dark-blackberry and blueberry aromas after an 18-month rest in barrel.

This is an excellent Cabernet from a top source—and it comes at way below market value.