2014 Kapcsandy Family Winery, State Lane Vineyard Grand Vin Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville

Deep medium ruby; more saturated than the Roberta's. Knockout nose offers aromas of cassis, black cherry, dark plum, shoe polish and espresso, plus an element of toasty oak. Remarkably plush, dense and seamless, presenting a compelling balance of sweet dark berry fruit and firming minerality, with complicating notes of tobacco and spices. Really sensational Cabernet purity here! The wine's substantial tannins hit the palate late and build, giving the very long finish an element of sweetness that makes the Roberta's seem almost dry in comparison. Lou Kapcsándy described 2014 as "a steady year in the middle of drought years, with a relatively cool August and a fairly stress-free harvest--and easier than the warm 2013 growing season." (13.9% alcohol; 98% new French and 2% new Hungarian oak)

Another seamless, absolutely impeccable wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin saturates every corner of the palate. Magnificent, rich and unctuous yet with a classic sense of balance, the 2014 hits all the right notes. The flavors are deep, bold and incredibly intense throughout. Graphite, savory herbs, tobacco, menthol and licorice wrap around the voluptuous finish. At this early stage, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin is without question one of the most compelling wines I have tasted at Kapcsándy .

Always an exceptional cuvée, there are 900 cases of the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin, which is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. In 2015 there were 700 cases. This wine is even softer than the 2015, perhaps slightly less concentrated, but still at the top of the qualitative hierarchy in Napa Valley, with its terrific purity, nose of licorice, camphor, forest floor, blackcurrant and cedar wood. It is gorgeously fruited, full-bodied, but super-well-balanced. This is a beauty that can be drunk early, or cellared for another 25-30 years.