“And I miss you, like the deserts miss the rain…” – Everything But The Girl

Another YEAR flew by without a Maroon around here and that’s exactly how we began to feel about this perennial favorite on Wine Spies since the 2009 vintage.

We know Napa has plenty of $100-200+ Cabs to pick from. Like the Maroon Reserve.

Except now, it’s HALF OFF.

Long-time Operatives know the story well. Paul Maroon snagged 37 acres of prime Coombsville land years ago, with one aim - grow kickass Cabernet grapes. And he did that, supplying Joseph Phelps for their Insignia, and other highbrow wineries with the goods they demanded. Then he had an idea. Why not start his own brand? Thus, in 2009 Maroon was born.

Chris Corley fashioned this wine from their Coombsville estate vineyard on the eastern edge of Napa. Cool Coombsville is the next frontier for cult Cabs that offer the best of both worlds in Cabernet making, fresh acidity due to the perennial breezes and perfect ripeness with the cloudless days of sunshine. It makes perfect sense to see Andy Erickson of Screaming Eagle fame invest here for his own Favia label, along with forward-thinking names like Paul Hobbs, Purlieu, Farella, Realm, Rewa, and Meteor all sourcing from vineyards surrounding Maroon. Except you pay dearly for those kinda names.

Dark, and powerful but not over-extracted. It won’t thump you over the head with thick, heavy fruit. Medium to full-bodied, brooding with blackberry, red currant, worn leather, cigar box, cedar, and cherry jam. Definitely has a pleasant spicy/savory balance to the fruit. Tannins are resolved, soft, and silky. Drinking absolute primetime right now, with the upside to get more fascinating over the next decade. The sufficient vibrancy and intense fruit to counterbalance something as bold as a spiced-up pot of curry even, so the pairing possibilities are nearly endless!

If you have a taste for expensive Cab but realistically have a beer budget these days, there’s no better option. It over-delivers in such a massive way. Master of Wine Lisa Perrotti-Brown who recently left Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate to start The Wine Independent went gaga over this as you can tell from her review below. Still, if you need a second opinion, Jeb Dunnuck called it a “classic, impeccably made Cabernet Sauvignon” which we agree with one hundred percent.

Highly rated and sought-after Cabs like this are popular around here though… while it lasts!

94 Points – The Wine Independent

“Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon features spritely, cheery scents of black raspberries, crushed blackcurrants, and wild blueberries, followed by hints of cedar, tapenade, and cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate offers lovely freshness and chewy tannins, with a great core of youthful fruit and an earth-laced finish. Drink 2023-2034.”