Michael Caitlin Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2011

Perfectly aged, Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon, from the top of Atlas Peak, clocking in at 12 years young, and really just hitting its prime – for UNDER $30?! This wine (over) delivers!

I have a confession...I love asking Napa winemakers to walk me through the 2011 vintage. Their eyes immediately glaze over, their hands get a little twitchy, and they start breathing erratically. Vintage PTSD is real, folks. I had a winemaker friend explain it like this: “2011 produced some incredible wines, even if they took a bit longer to get there compared to a more classic vintage like 2012. But what you need to understand is this – nearly every winery in Napa had to work three times harder to bring in about half as much fruit.”

Now, over a decade later, this 2011 Michael Caitlin cabernet sauvignon has ascended through the ranks and is drinking like a champ! With fruit sourced from the top of Atlas Peak, this juice definitely rocks that above-the-fog feel. Inky, dark berry notes, black pearl cherries, sage-infused brown butter, mushroom tea, and toasted black peppercorns make this a captivating and food-friendly style of Napa cabernet. The structure is firm, yet velvety. The wine concentrated, but never heavy — in a word: balanced.

Kennedy and Boden Testa run this micro-winery, sourcing fruit from their vineyards up and down the state. The wine spent 22 months in 100% new French oak prior to bottling and at this price, it’s guaranteed to please. Under $30 for a Napa cabernet like this? Inconceivable!