Posted on April 17, 2025
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Appointed for the mountain and the city within its limits, the Holy Hélène Ava is north of Napa Valley just below Calistoga. The city of Saint-Hélène was formed in 1876, just shortly before the railway reached the region and 15 years after the pioneer of Napa Valley Charles Krug Built its eponymous cellar here, although it was inhabited by the people of Wappo Indigenous from 2000 BC positioned in the narrowest part of the valley, the vineyards of Saint Helena are mainly on the floor of the valley with altitudes between 400 and 800 feet above the sea level. On the west side of the appellation, the soils are mainly the gravelly silt while volcanic nature. Its position in the north of the valley is removed from the influences of cooling the peaceful ocean and the Bay of San Pablo, which allows fairly hot temperatures and a limited variation of day -to -day temperatures. The result is a ripe style of Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties of Bordeaux such as Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot which are in bottle alone or in mixtures. But thanks to our latest tastings, the best red wines from Napa Valley that we found from St. Helena Ava are these six Cabernet Sauvignons and a Cabernet Franc.
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Anthem Winery and Vineyards 2021 Beckstoffer las Piedras Vineyard St. Helena Napa Valley
The Las Piedras vineyard traces more than 150 years for Mexican subsidies and now includes 22 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards planted at the foot of Spring Mountain. It belongs to Andy Beckstoffer and the name is reflected in “Little Pebbles” in Spanish. This tasty wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is aged for 18 months in barrels of French oak at 95%. He has aromas of caramelized cherries, red plum and a puff of chocolate cake with robust tannins and black raspberry flavors, a pencil lead, a black cherry and a touch of cocoa feathers in the long finish.
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Davies Vineyards 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Napa Valley
Jacob Schram planted vines on what is now the vineyard of Domaine J. Davies in 1862. The vineyard is in the center of two cool water streams, the Nash Creek and the Ritchie stream, which helps keep the vines in the cool even under the hot sun. The Davies family, also known for its sparkling wines from Schramsberg, first planted the traditional champagne grape varieties here in the 1960s, but found that the land was better for Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties of Bordeaux. This bottling is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon who has aged for 20 months in 50% of new French oak barrels. Delicious aromas of black plum, icing and blackcrew attract you in its full -bodied palace of flavors of red and black fruit accentuated with brown cooking spices, crushed purple petals and a touch of graphite in persistent finish.
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Corison 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Napa Valley
We have both been fans of Cathy Corison wines for decades because it has been trying to make elegant, retained and relatively low alcohol wines, even in the face of higher valley temperatures and the challenges of climate change. His Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 has aromas of anise, cedar, tobacco leaves and black cassison. It is both elegant and retained in the mouth with flavors of dried herbs, purple, black raspberry, red plum and black cherry. He is drinking well at the moment, but it would not hurt some bottles for future pleasure.
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Salvestrin Winery 2021 Three D Dr Crane Vineyard St. Helena Napa Valley
Appointed 3D in honor of the three daughters of Shannon and Rich Salvestrin, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Dr. Crane Vineyard historic. All the wine is aged for 14 months, but only the 10 to 12 best barrels are mixed to create this remarkable bottle. After the mixture, he receives 32 months of aging in 100%French oak barrels. It has aromas of brown cooking spices, black plum and dark cocoa powder that passes to flavors of cinnamon, black raspberry and blackcurrant in the mouth.
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Tate 2021 Spring Street Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Napa Valley
Tate was founded barely 14 years ago by the winemaker David Tate and Suzanne Tate and prides himself on producing only small wines from small vineyards on the slopes of Napa Valley and the floor of the Valley. Born in Canada David also made wine for Barnett Vineyards and Ridge Vineyards and also worked in Australia, New Zealand and France. In his free time, he teaches courses for the educational trust of wine and spirits. Its Spring Street Cabernet Sauvignon in 2021 is colorful ink colored with red plum aromas, black blackcurrants and a touch of crushed purple petals. It has a tannic structure and cherry flavors, a black raspberry, with just a touch of graphite and minerality in the finish.
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Spottswoode 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Napa Valley
Founder Mary Weber Novak and her husband, Dr. Jack Novak, fell in love with Spottswoode during a family trip to Napa Valley. She subsequently helped the pioneering organic grape for growth in the Napa valley and was one of the first women to bring two girls to a family wine business. Spottswood Estate has been growing grapes since 1972, and the family began to make their own wines in 1982. We have tasted many previous vintages and are always impressed by the quality of these wines. The 2021 vintage is no exception and offers exhilarating aromas of black blackcurrant, spicy sandalwood and a puff of English caramel. A mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, he has boxing flavors, crushed violets and dark berries mixed. We really liked to open this wine this week, but you will not be disappointed if you place it for a few years.
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Ballentine Vineyards 2022 Figuier Vineyard Cabernet Franc St. Helena Napa Valley
The Vineyards Ballentine Vinification Team reacted in advance to the 2022 heat wave that struck the Labor Day. They chose to selectively choose the grapes before the heat and once the mercury has increased, they intensified their harvest operations and had most of their grapes pick to preserve acidity and freshness. A mixture of 94% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% of small Verdot This attractive wine has an intense ruby color and aromas of oolong tea, black plum and freshly picked pink petals. The silky tannins pave the way to flavors of cherry, dark chocolate and black raspberry.
