Fiancetto - "Gravelly Loam" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

Fiancetto’s 2024 Gravelly Loam is sourced from vineyards in Calistoga, situated at the northern end of Napa Valley, where some of the region's most distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon is grown. Calistoga is the warmest of Napa’s valley-floor AVAs, with summer days that can climb above 100° F, but those scorching afternoons are followed by dramatic nighttime cooling, with temperatures sometimes dropping into the low 40s. Add predominantly volcanic soils ranging from rocky hillside loam to gravelly, cobbly alluvial fans, and you have an ideal recipe for Cabernet Sauvignon that combines ripeness and concentration with freshness, structure and remarkable depth. The result is compelling Cabernet: dark, powerful and richly flavored, yet energized by the acidity and mineral character that keeps these wines from feeling heavy. And Fiancetto’s 2024 holds its own against some of Calistoga’s heavyweights — Eisele Vineyard, Larkmead Vineyards, Chateau Montelena — at less than half the price!

In the glass, the 2024 Fiancetto Gravelly Loam delivers everything we look for in a great Napa Cab without the big Napa price tag. Ripe blackberry, cassis and black cherry lead into layers of dark chocolate, graphite, cedar and subtle spice, with a plush, full-bodied palate supported by beautifully integrated tannins and a lively thread of acidity. There's plenty of richness here, but the wine remains remarkably balanced and fresh, finishing long, lifted and savory. This is the exact kind of wine that can anchor a weeknight steak dinner just as easily as it can hold its own alongside a hearty mushroom and herb pasta, grilled lamb, prime rib roast or braised short ribs. This is a phenomenal Napa Cabernet value and one we don't expect to have around for long.