Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 (750ML)

Picking for the 2023 Far Niente stretched across a full month, from October 6 to November 4, and the wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Nicole Marchesi kept it on its skins for an average of 14 days, then raised it for 17 months in French oak, 61% new and the rest once-used. That new wood is part of the picture: espresso, dark chocolate and baking spice wrap a dense core of cassis, black cherry and plum, with graphite, spring flowers and rose petal beneath. The palate is medium to full and focused, the acidity well integrated, and the finish lingers on dark spice. Critics see it opening by 2027. It's a natural with herb-crusted lamb loin, mushroom bourguignon or aged cheddar.