Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Los Carneros, Napa Valley, California, USA 75cl

Truchard Vineyards is one of the pioneering estates of Los Carneros, founded in 1974 when Tony and Jo Ann Truchard bought a neglected parcel in the cool southern reaches of Napa Valley. They grew it into a diverse 400-acre estate famed for its varied hillside soils, selling fruit to many of Napa’s leading names before launching their own label in 1989.

This is an estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from Carneros, an unusual home for the grape, which more often comes from warmer northern Napa. The cooling bay breezes here give a fresher, more structured expression of Cabernet, with fine detail alongside the ripeness.

The 2018 came from a long, even Californian growing season that is widely regarded as an excellent Napa vintage, favouring balance and freshness. That poise shows in the wine, which drinks well now but has the structure to reward a few years in the cellar.

Expect aromas of blackcurrant and dark plum with cedar and a savoury, spicy lift, a medium to full body, and firm, fine-grained tannins framed by cool-climate freshness. The finish is long and composed. It is a natural match for roast beef, rack of lamb, or a mature hard cheese.

If you favour a structured, food-friendly Cabernet over a big, jammy style, this Carneros red offers real class and a genuine sense of place. It suits a considered dinner or a special occasion, and rewards a little patience for those who like to cellar. Opened young, an hour in a decanter helps the tannins unwind and the fruit shine.