Chad Wine Company - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

For the last ten years, the customers at the Princeton Corkscrew have come to recognize anything from Chad Wine Company as an amazing deal. Whether it is their Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays or Cabernets, anytime you see the Chad label you know that you are getting a wine that punches above its weight. The cuvées and sources change almost every year, but that’s what makes Chad special: they have a nose for the deals, no matter if the fruit is from Sonoma, Napa, Santa Barbara or the Willamette Valley. Chad has worked closely with many wineries on the west coast, where they have an almost preternatural talent for knowing which top vineyards and producers have extra fruit they need to unload.

The 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon draws from distinguished benchland sites in Napa County. Rocky, volcanic gravel soils deliver structure and minerality; valley floor influence adds richness and weight. The nose opens with black cherry and cassis, accented by graphite and thyme. On the palate, the wine is fresh and leans toward medium body, with clean natural acidity, fine tannins and the kind of easy drinkability that makes you reach for a second glass; all carrying through to a balanced, elegant finish.

This is Chad at its best; terroir-driven, distinctive and built for real-world drinking. It's a compelling Napa Cabernet that delivers serious bang for the buck. One catch: the lot was tiny, just a few pallets. Don't sit on this one.