Lail’s 2019 J. Daniel Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a little shaking before it erupts with flamboyant notes of warm cassis, wild blueberries, and black raspberries, followed by an opulent undercurrent of jasmine tea, candied violets, and star anise, plus a touch of rose oil. The full-bodied palate is densely packed and multi-layered, featuring firm, velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with incredible length and depth.
100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Mar 2023)
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee is just about pure perfection and another example of Napa Valley magic. All Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 80% new French oak, it offers an incredible bouquet of pure cassis and blackberry fruits as well as textbook Pauillac-like notes of graphite, tobacco, toasted spices, and chalky minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it’s one of those wines that somehow marries incredible intensity and richness with no sensation of weight or heaviness, perfect balance, and a layered, multi-dimensional style that’s hard to describe. It shows more tannins and chocolaty oak with air and needs to be forgotten for 4-6 years, and it will be a 40+-year wine. It’s heavenly juice.
99 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Mar 2022)
Altogether much more serious than Lail's Blueprint bottling (and priced accordingly), the 2019 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon comes primarily from the Vine Hill Ranch, Dutch Canyon (Heimark) and Steltzner Vineyards. Marked by deep, seductive scents of cassis and rich loam, accented by hints of cedar and dried sage, it's full-bodied, concentrated and rich, finishing long, velvety, seamless and elegant. Pretty special stuff.
98+ points, Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Oct 2022)
Marking the producer's 25th anniversary, this is a tremendous powerhouse of a wine that's sinewy, sophisticated and youthfully shy. Rich truffle, cassis and black cherry meet undeniable earthiness and savory spice, with a touch of plushness on the palate that's still gripped in tannin. Enjoy 2029–2039.
98 points, Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast (Jul 2022)
From Mole Hill Vineyard on Howell Mountain, Heimark in Calistoga, Vine Hill Ranch in Oakville and Steltzner in Stags Leap. Each site is vinified separately with racking every six months and blended for up to 12 months before bottling. Alluring black fruit aromas with dried herbs and cedar spice. Full-bodied with rich, decadent layers of blackberry and black cherry to pops of blue fruit all woven around rich spices supported by cedar-plank tannins. A lot of joy here.
98 points, Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter (Jun 2022)
Top Quality Store
