“Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers and collectors who haven’t yet taken a position on Napa Valley’s 2021s should get busy and commit.” – James Suckling

Fun fact: it’s been a whopping 16 years since we’ve had a purebred Bennett Lane Cabernet on the site. That drought ends today, with this beaut from the 2021 vintage.

El Nino is in full effect and it’s pouring rain and the deals are flowing with it. Nearly 66% OFF drops this $130 Cab to a cool $46.

If you scored some of the Maximus Red recently, you know the value and off the charts drinkability it shows. This is no different with $80+ knocked off the price. A food-friendly, palate-soaking example from the one of the best vintages in the last decade, here to quench your never-ending thirst for Napa Cab. Did we mention wallet friendly, too?

Randy Lynch founded the winery in 2003, on a property just beyond the Calistoga town limits. Their motto: “crafting Fine Wine at the Pinnacle of Napa Valley” the driving force now. He was drag racing as a teenager in the ’60s, and by 1968 he was crew chief on a NASCAR Grand National Ford that won at Eureka. Then he traded the pit lane for the tasting room. The slower pace of life didn’t tame his competitive drive though. The Cabernet competition is arguably tougher, but Bennet Lane keeps pace with the best of em.

The Reserve bottling is, not surprisingly, one of their smallest production wines. Just 14 barrels made, a scant drop in the tank compared to most wineries. Cabernet from their estate vineyards in Calistoga bring the ripeness and density, while fruit brought in from the Taplin and Lewelling Vineyards further south on the valley floor bring elegance and finesse.

With help from their veteran winemaker Rob Hunter, who cut his teeth at Groth where he helped make Napa’s FIRST 100 POINT WINE! Later he led the charge at Markham and then Sterling in their heydays. Now at Bennett Lane, he aims for balance over power. They buck the over extracted, oak-laden trend that held a grip on the valley for so long.

And 2021 is the perfect year to stock up on. Wine Spectator rated the vintage a glowing 97 Points, quipping, “This vintage cements the new style in Napa”. Then James Suckling took it a step further, “Cabernet sauvignon drinkers and collectors who haven’t yet taken a position on Napa Valley’s 2021s should get busy and commit. It’s a vintage of very high quality and small quantity, with concentrated flavors, ample fine-grained tannins and great overall balance that will help it age well.”

Our dear friend at Vinography took that advice, and put his money where his mouth is, “The 2021 vintage was a special one, and I’ve made it a point to buy a few more bottles of my favorite Napa Cabernets from 2021 than I would normally, simply because I’m not sure when I’m going to see another vintage this good in Napa.”

Us? We want to put this wine where our mouth is! Approachable and focused fruit, with cassis, blackberry and black cherry. A dusting of shaved black chocolate, gentle spices and subtle toasty goodness weave their way in. With gentle, sweet tannins spread softly on the lengthy finish. Pure, vibrant, and oh so drinkable!

Don’t miss this one. Might be another decade before the next Bennett Lane slides through…