2020 Jemma Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot

The 2020 Jemma successfully captures the best of the vintage, which indeed was a warm California summer with plenty of heat and sunshine. The wine is bold, juicy, and intensely flavored with a silky, but structured texture. The color is black-purple, as is the flavor profile, with the driving forces being notes of blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate. Just below the surface, however, come the complexities brought by the Cabernet Franc: licorice, cardamom, and dried flowers. This is a serious wine that will age for many years to come, but its rounded tannins make it perfectly enjoyable in its youth. For those who can wait, dividends will be paid in terms of added aromatic layers and continued polishing of the tannins. Those who don’t have the patience to wait will be surprised and delighted by the purity of the fruit and the generosity the wine shows now.