Grape Culture GIII Beckstoffer 2021

From a different vineyard block than the 2019, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII offers up faintly herbal scents, plus plenty of ripe black cherries. It's full-bodied and rich, firm yet velvety, with ripe tannins, ample concentration and a long, balanced finish. It looks to be a stellar effort from this newcomer to Napa Valley.

Proprietor Collin Cranor is a product of the Bay Area, and his family also has a wine business in Livermore (Nottingham Cellars). The 2019 Grape Culture wines were made in Livermore, but he made the move to Napa in 2021, building out a winery in one of southern Napa's industrial parks. "Now we have a bigger sandbox, more to play with, and it's fun again," said Cranor. Director of Winemaking Craig Ploof, formerly at Steven Kent (arguably Livermore's top winery), hired in 2018, oversees day-to-day operations. Hyper-clean, quality-focused, with a selection of grape sources that is still being curated and refined, this is a Napa newcomer to watch.