2022 Spottswoode - Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Lyndenhurst (750ml)
The 2022 Spottswoode Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon is the acclaimed second label from one of Napa Valley's most storied family estates. The name "Lyndenhurst" is a tribute to the fragrant linden trees that still bloom in the gardens of the Spottswoode Estate today. Spottswoode, a historic family-owned estate on the western edge of St. Helena, was established in 1882 and has been certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) since 1992, with Demeter Biodynamic Certification added in 2020.
Winemaker Aron Weinkauf crafts Lyndenhurst by combining declassified barrels of Spottswoode estate fruit with grapes from several other organically farmed Napa Valley sites. The 2022 blend draws on fruit from the Spottswoode Estate Vineyard alongside selections from Carneros, Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, and St. Helena, and was aged 20 months in 48% new French oak. The final blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec.
On the nose, fresh notes of crushed bramble, cassis, and red cherries underpin subtle aromas of lavender, cedar, and spruce, with mineral nuances of wet slate adding structure. On the palate, ripe black cherry, leather, licorice, and cedarwood are supported by suave, finely stacked tannins, with savory dried violets and black olive leading to a long, bright finish infused with blood orange acidity. The 2022 Lyndenhurst impresses with its gracious personality and finesse, benefiting from the addition of fruit from cooler sites such as Howell Mountain, which ripened later and were better protected from the heat of this warm vintage.
While created to be more approachable and accessible than the flagship Estate Cabernet, Lyndenhurst is very much cut from the same cloth, sharing the estate's hallmark silkiness and can be enjoyed sooner but may last nearly as long. Drinking window: 2025 to 2040.