2021 Angeline Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Mendocino County 750 ml

The most important critic to us is the Wine Access member. And few wineries we feature generate more praise from our readers than Courtney Benham’s Angeline Vineyards. 

The last time we offered Angeline’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, the accolades came nonstop: “Best cab at this price I have ever had—an amazing bargain!” said one member. “An excellent choice for a Cab daily drinker or case buy,” said another. 

We’ve been huge supporters of Angeline—run by Courtney Benham, owner of the storied Martin Ray Vineyards & Winery—from the beginning. The formula is simple: leverage Benham’s deep network of growers in Northern California, keep overhead low, and pull the rug out from under the idea that great California Cabernet starts at $50 and up.

The super-talented winemaking duo of Talley alum Leslie Renaud and consultant Keith Emerson, who achieved 100-point fame at Vineyard 29, help make this proposition possible.

For today’s release, they focused on hillside plots in Mendocino County where Cabernet Sauvignon vines soak up the sun’s rays after the chilly morning fog pulls away, priming the grapes for lithe concentration. Deep, alluvial, mineral-rich soils serve as the staging ground for grapes full of intensity yet as precise as fine-point pens. If not for Benham’s handshake deals, built on decades-long relationships, these grapes might be going into wines that cost $50 or more.

The 2021 vintage is already gaining steam as a modern-day classic, though yields were down across the North Coast. A warm summer and drought meant that berries were small and sparse—not exactly great for the bottom line. But the combination made for wines like this one, which combines beautiful fruit, lively acidity, and a softly tannic grip.