2023 is the vintage of a lifetime

Why 2023 is the vintage of a lifetime in Napa Valley | Decanter Magazine

by Jonathan Christaldi

The buzz for Napa Valley’s 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon wines began circulating during the 2025 Premiere Napa Valley Barrel Auction.

I recall several producers belting the phrase ‘over the moon ecstatic,’ and gushing over the ‘plentiful tannins’ and ‘bright, grippy acidity’ that seemed to mark the wines in their early maturing phase.

Hardly anyone I spoke to had harvested Cabernet grapes in September—certainly unusual if we look back over historical picking dates from the last decade.

In 2023, most began harvesting in October and continued well into November.

Early on, the Napa Valley Vintners promoted 2023 as ‘the Vintage of a Lifetime.’

My own verdict, after tasting more than 600 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons from the year, is that the phrase, while catchy, may not quite capture the deeper truth of the season.

A more accurate description might be that 2023 represents the ideal Napa Valley vintage: a year when the vines had everything they needed – including time itself, without the pressure of damaging heat or rain. Continue reading at decanter.com.

Top Rutherford 2023 Cabernets:
96 points – 2023 St. Supery Rutherford Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
The Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon includes 11% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Fermented across a mix of vessels and aged in 50% new French oak, it is quite expressive of Rutherford with its dusty red mineral aromatics, red berry fruit and red floral notes, layers of cocoa powder nuances that unfold across the medium- to full-bodied palate. Ripe, velvety and suave tannins frame the wine, while sagebrush and graphite-laced darker berry tones emerge through the deeply flavoured core. Mineral intensity and lingering cocoa powder character drive the long, resonant finish, giving this wine both depth and a strong sense of place. -JC, May 2026

95 points – 2023 St. Supéry Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Sourced from the old-vine blocks at Dollarhide Ranch, this vintage marks the 40th anniversary of the parcel being planted. The wine was fermented across a mix of stainless steel, oak tanks and barrel fermentations, then aged for 19 months in approximately 50% new French oak. The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon shows beautifully in 2023, offering a fresh, mineral-driven and fragrant profile, with warming brown spice notes interwoven with sagebrush and violet florals. Medium-bodied and finely detailed, it delivers a juicy fruit core supported by ultra-fine tannins that speak clearly to the character of the vintage. Dark berry fruit, additional layers of savoury spice and a growing sense of graphite minerality carry through to a long, focused and composed finish. There’s power and energy here. -JC, June 2026

How to taste the Napa Valley 2023 Cabernets on a budget:
91 points – 2023 St. Supery Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is presented in a new, lighter-weight and very elegant bottle, reflecting the intent behind the wine: to offer a round, flavourful yet structured expression, according to Michael Scholz, Vice President of Winemaking and Vineyards. The red varieties are sourced from the estate’s Rutherford vineyards surrounding the winery and from Dollarhide Ranch, between which all five core Bordeaux varieties are grown, with Dollarhide forming the backbone of the blend. At St. Supéry, fruit is brought in cold, destemmed, and optically sorted – often with an additional hand-sorting pass – before fermentation in a mix of stainless steel, concrete, and neutral oak tanks, alongside some barrel fermentations and barriques. Ageing typically runs between 18 and 22 months, depending on the vintage, and the final blend includes small amounts of Merlot (2%) and Cabernet Franc (1%). This is the winery’s largest-production red, and it delivers exactly what it promises: expressive cassis fruit, warm Indian spice, graphite minerality, and elegant new-wood cedar notes with a gentle kiss of vanillin. Medium-bodied and polished, with fine-grained tannins, it finishes with a fruit-driven, subtly earthy charm that makes it immediately appealing and thoroughly drinkable. -JC, May 2026