2023 Spottswoode Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon

JS95 A ripe, supple and refined red with flair, showing layers of black and blue fruit, violets, graphite, boysenberries, spices and ink. Lovely purity and juiciness bring early-drinking appeal. The palate is smooth and textural with fine-boned tannins and a luscious finish. A delightful representation of many AVAs across Napa Valley, from sourced and estate-grown fruit, including all five red Bordeaux varieties. Drink or hold.

WP95 Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2023 Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon comes bounding out with exuberant notes of red currant preserves, wild blueberries, and cassis, leading to hints of menthol, pencil lead, and wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate is wonderfully elegant and vivacious, delivering red, black, and blue fruit layers with minerally sparks and fine-grained tannins, finishing long and refreshing.

JD94 The second wine of this flagship estate, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst checks in as 75.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15.9% Merlot, and smaller doses of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec, aged 20 months in 59% new oak. Crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and spicy wood notes all shine here, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a beautiful mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a beautiful finish. It’s a true gem of a second wine that will shine for 15-20 years if well stored. Drink 2025-2040.

WA93+ Bottled about a month prior to my visit, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst boasts lovely blackberry fruit with a cool nuance—it’s fresh and gently herbal, not really minty but approximating it. Still velvety but more taut than the 2022, this medium- to full-bodied effort is less sexy but more classically structured, finishing with terrific length. For consumers looking for an ageable Cab at a realistic price, it would be hard to beat this one.