Sbragia Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Neal Vineyard Howell Mountain Napa Valley 2018
“The 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet vintage belongs in an echelon with the finest of the past two decades.” – Decanter
Heard. In a vintage where Cathy Corison famously quipped that you could write a letter with the inky wines that Napa produced…we’re coming in hot with one of the inkiest, darkest, full-on gnarly cabernet sauvignons from Napa’s longest-lived cabernet Valhalla: HOWELL MOUNTAIN! Over 60% OFF?! Just insanity – sheer insanity.
Ed Sbragia, longtime winemaker for Beringer Vineyards, hooked us UP! He started Sbragia Family in 2006, and the wines have been nothing short of spectacular ever since. Never huge quantities, always using his longstanding ties to get some of the very tippy-top best fruit. Barely 300 cases were ever made, from fruit reared by another Napa legend – The Neal Family. We put this in a two-pack several months back and sold out like a politician running for Congress, but lucky for y’all – we scored some more of the EPIC 2018 cabernet sauvignon. Barely enough for an offer…and I know how y’all love some Howell Mountain cabernet!!! Ok, here. We. GOOO!
IRON FIST time! Exploding with dark bramble berries, graphite, mocha, peppery, INKY, and mouth coating…WOW! There’s this soft floral note at first, almost tricks your brain into thinking it’s going to be all delicate and pretty – lilacs, violets, even some rose petals – then…KAPOW! An onrushing wave of immense structure, never-ending concentration, and nicely toasty French oak notes to give even more length! The finish goes on for days…and I mean that in the best possible way! Incredibly long life ahead on this beauty, but dang irresistible right now!
Ed Sbragia is probably best known as the winemaker for a little wine named BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE! (We may have extolled its virtues once or twice here at Last Bottle…) He knows a thing or two about making powerhouse Napa cabs, and in a tippy-top vintage like 2018 – with the tiny berry, ultra-concentrated flavors of Howell Mountain fruit to work with – he has constructed a masterpiece! Don’t miss this…you don’t want to bring that sort of bad juju going into 2024 – did I mention the over 60% off part?! I did? Ok, good, then you know what’s at stake. This is $81 BELOW retail for Pete’s sake…get some while it lasts!!!
Sbragia Family Vineyards sources their grapes from over 50 acres of their family-owned estate. Known for its big, bold, rich, yet balanced wine style, Sbragia specializes in chardonnay, zinfandel, and cabernet sauvignon.
Technical Details
Country: United StatesRegion: California
Appellation: Napa Valley
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Caberent Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard: Neal Vineyard
Winemaker: Adam Sbragia
Farming: Certified Organic
Aging/Cooperage: 24 months in 100% new French oak barrles.
Harvest Date: October 17, 2018
Alcohol: 15
About The Producer
Sbragia Family Vineyard owns up to its name- it’s a true family affair. The Sbragia family’s roots in Sonoma County date back to 1904, when founder Ed Sbragio’s grandfather immigrated from Tuscany. The Dry Creek Valley resembled the winegrowing landscape of Tuscany and felt like home. Initially, the Sbragios grew prunes, but winemaking was always the dream. Ed’s father, Gino made it happen in 1950 with his first plantings of zinfandel and merlot, most of which were sold to other wineries, yet they kept small amounts for themselves. After generations of hard work, a master’s degree in enology, and an apprenticeship under Beringer’s Nyron Nightingale, Ed opened the Sbragia Family Winery in 2006. Today, Ed’s son Adam is carrying the family legacy onward as winemaker.
Pairing Suggestions
Beef, lamb, mature and hard cheeses, poultry
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