Amici Cellars Amici Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022 750ml

Aromas of blackcurrants, iodine, oyster shell, and dark chocolate. Medium- to full-bodied with polished fine tannins that run the length of the wine with chocolate, hazelnut, and blueberries. Give it time to come together. Better after 2025. (James Suckling)

So creamy, layered and sunny, this opulent and velvety wine is rich in blueberries, creme de cassis and cocoa. Affordable for a wine so delicious and smooth. Tannins are fine-grained, body is full, finish is long and lingering. Drink or hold.

Amici's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is a terrific value, made possible by use of the Napa County designation on the label and the inclusion of up to 25% Moon Mountain fruit, which comes at a price per ton substantially lower than Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. There are enough herbal hints to the cherries to let you know it's Cabernet Sauvignon, but not so much that they dominate. It's medium- to full-bodied in the mouth, silky and nicely balanced, not green or stewed, with a long, harmonious finish. And unlike some bargain-priced Napa Cabs, this one won't be too hard to find, with 20,000 cases produced.

Standing out as a solid value in Napa Cabernet, Amici’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is slightly herbal, with a touch of matchstick on the nose as well, but those elements give way to deep cassis notes and hints of cedar. A blend of several vineyards, matured in 65% new French oak, it’s medium to full-bodied and tightly wound but reasonably textured, with a long, velvety finish. Drink it over the next decade or so.

Terrific varietal notes of ripe red and black currants, lead pencil, chocolate, and hints of violets all emerge from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County, a medium-bodied, soft, supple, absolutely delicious Cabernet that shows the forward, easy, front end-loaded style of the vintage. It's impeccably made, balanced, and should keep for 5-7 years.

The base 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley should certainly be outstanding. It offers classic darker cassis and cherry fruits, some graphite and chocolate nuances, medium to full body, and a plush, rounded, yet concentrated profile on the palate.

At “only” $50, Amici’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a relative bargain in the rarefied air of Napa Valley Cabs. At this point in its 18 months of élevage (tasted in November 2022), it’s cedary but backed by ample cassis and blueberry fruit. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s smooth, silky, and streamlined from front to back, with a lingering finish and mouthwatering berries that balance out the soft tannins and mocha overtones.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is plump, juicy and super-expressive. A burst of dark cherry, plum, incense, tobacco and dried herbs race across the palate. Pliant and dense, with striking depth, the Napa Valley Cabernet is shaping up to be a winner