Maitre de Chai Cabernet Sauvignon Gala Napa 2021

Winemakers Marty Winters and Alex Pitts—both former chefs with stints in some of the country’s most demanding kitchens—bring a culinary precision to their winemaking that values balance, acidity, and, above all, a sense of place.

This isn’t your typical high-octane, oak-drenched California Cab. Sourced from a terraced, biodynamically farmed vineyard perched 1,800 feet above the valley floor on the slopes of Mt. George, the fruit benefits from rocky volcanic soils and the cooling influence of the San Pablo Bay. The result is a wine that feels like a spiritual successor to the legendary Napa bottlings of the 1970s.

This is a wine for the cellar and the dinner table alike. It possesses a main character energy without needing to shout. While it’s drinking beautifully now with a decant, the burly mountain structure and lively acidity suggest it will continue to evolve gracefully for the next 15 to 20 years.