Wine Advisor Insight – 2022 Napa Cabs: A Pleasant Plot Twist

2022 Napa Cabs: A Pleasant Plot Twist

Earlier this month, our Wine Buyer Giovanni Cerrone and Lead Wine Advisor Sara Brown tasted a flight of 2022 Napa Valley Cabernets—and what they found was nothing short of thrilling. After a vintage widely labeled “challenging” (a term often oversimplified and surprisingly misleading), they discovered wines that defy expectations: expressive, structured, and built to age beautifully.

A new mission became clear: identify as many of these stunning 2022 Napa Cabs as possible.

The vintage itself reads like a story of contrasts. In early September, weather forecasts signaled a week-long heat spike, sending some producers to harvest reds early while others gambled on letting fruit hang, hoping for cooler weather to reach ideal ripeness. When unseasonable rain arrived following the heat, many who waited were forced to hold their fruit longer than intended, adding tension to the harvest. Blending these contrasting lots requires skill, vision, and intuition and is what makes 2022 a true winemaker’s vintage.

For Giovanni and Sara, tasting these wines was like watching the vintage’s story unfold in glass. Some 2022 Cabs echo the polished elegance of 2021, immediately approachable yet still promising development in the cellar. Others are more muscular, tannic, and built for long-term aging, rewarding patience and careful planning. Across the spectrum, bright fruit, lively acidity, and vineyard-specific nuance shine, demonstrating the creativity and adaptability of Napa’s best winemakers.

The variety within a single vintage is what makes 2022 particularly exciting. It’s a reminder that Napa Cabernets are not one-size-fits-all. Each vineyard, each pick decision, and each winemaker’s approach shapes a different expression. For collectors, this is a vintage that invites exploration and thoughtful selection.

That’s exactly where Wine Spectrum Advisors come in. Giovanni and Sara are curating the wines that offer both immediate enjoyment and long-term potential, carefully matching bottles to clients’ palates, preferences, and cellars. In a year defined by unpredictability, having an expert guide isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

2022 Standouts We’ve Found (so far)

2022 Ilaria Cabernet Sauvignon $69/b (WSI94)

2022 Baker & Hamilton Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon $79/b (TWI95)

2022 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon 235/b (DEC97)

2022 Spottswoode ‘Lyndenhurst’ Cabernet Sauvignon $115/b (WSI93+)

2022 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $289/b (TWI97+)

If you have questions about any of these selections, or know of a 2022 Napa Cabernet you think we shouldn’t miss, we’d love to hear from you.