2021 Le Pich Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml

In the November 15th, 2024 edition of Wine Spectator, longtime Napa Valley denizen James Molesworth VERY quietly made an earth-shaking proclamation. After tasting over 700 California Cabernets over the past year, he gave the 2021 vintage a staggering score of 97 points. That puts it ahead of the outstanding 2015 and 2019 seasons and, by Spectator’s standards, makes it a “classic.”

With that in mind, we consider the 2021 Le Pich Cabernet. 

Le Pich is the personal Cabernet of 100-point winemaker Julien Fayard, the Quintessa, Dalla Valle, and Lail alum behind the uber-collectible Purlieu and JF labels. It’s by far one of the most popular Cabernets in the history of Wine Access because it’s one of the greatest Cabernet values out there. 

Even the 2020 edition—from a vintage that many wineries wrote off as a complete loss—holds a whopping 4.44-star member-rating that puts it with iconic, expensive Cabs from top vintages. This 2021 is that much better. It’s a Cabernet that always delivers the power, finesse, and outright gratification you expect from a wine twice the price. 

Fayard’s years working with Philippe Melka and consulting for top-tier wineries helped him cement relationships with A-list growers, and now his Rolodex includes the elite and the iconic: Just look at Purlieu’s lineup, which features To Kalon, Missouri Hopper, Georges III, and Sugarloaf. He works with the best terroir and nothing less, whether it’s for Purlieu, JF, or Le Pich.

While his California consulting work has unlocked some incredible sources, Fayard’s winemaking philosophy follows the lessons he learned during his time working at Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Smith Haut Lafitte: hyper-focused attention to detail and restraint in the cellar.