Freemark Abbey's history, spanning three centuries, is a story of firsts. It was one of the first to emerge from Prohibition, open a tasting room, and experiment with single varietals, helping to propel Napa Valley to the world stage in the 1970s in the Judgement of Paris.

Along with bottles from ten other California wineries, Freemark Abbey wines were selected for the French-judged tasting by its organizer, the English wine merchant Steven Spurrier. When the results were in, the 1972 Freemark Chardonnay placed ahead of both grand cru and premier cru Burgundy Chardonnays. And Napa Valley reds and white finished a shocking first place in each category.

Our 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet is our interpretation of a quintessentially classic style. The color is deep garnet and the nose yields aromas of dark chocolate, pomegranate, cedar shavings, blackberry, and leather. The palate exhibits flavors of blueberry compote, black cherry, espresso, and cigar box with bright and juicy fruit forward sensations. The texture is rich and bold with well-structured tannins that make it approachable now and will yield great results in the cellar for decades.