A great rapper from the ‘90s once said “I like ‘em real thick and juicy” - and we don’t think he was talking about Bernard Magrez Cab… but he could have been. Because OHMYGOD Ops, look at this…

It’s just so BIG. 96 POINTS big. And round. JUICY. And like HALF OFF TODAY!

Ahem, apologies in advance for the almost embarrassing number of names we’ll be dropping…

What else can you expect from the people behind this wine? Bernard Magrez, Michel Rolland, AND Aaron Pott! Each a force in their own right, but together they permanently shift your perspective on what’s possible.

Bernard Magrez is a colossal wine mogul. There’s no other way to put it. He owns several classified-growth Bordeaux chateâux (Pape Clement, La Tour Carnet, Fombrauge, Peyraguey). And that’s just his home turf. Beyond his French stomping grounds, he’s expanded into nearly every corner of the world where great wines are made. Seriously, we counted 39 countries. Nobody comes close to the sheer span of work and we’re not sure how he has time for it. But kudos!

He does this with help from another prolific figure - Michel Rolland. Earner of countless 100-point scores from places like Château Pape Clément, Dalla Valle, Harlan Estate, Staglin, and Bryant Family. He’s a winemaking consultant extraordinaire with an equally dizzying number of fantastic wines under his belt from all parts of the world. So, when this duo teamed up and took on Napa Valley, the world took notice. Because after all, you can’t find a much better spot to make a great Cabernet. The trouble is FINDING THE WINE as it’s produced in infinitesimal amounts. We are so lucky that we did.

The tiny vineyard this 8-barrels-only gem you won’t find elsewhere is called ADV, or Adler Deutsch, right where St. Helena meets Rutherford. Within a stone’s throw away are Corison, Del Dotto, and Flora Springs to name a few neighbors within this prized vicinity.

Robert Parker says “For many reasons, Bernard Magrez is one of Bordeaux’s most significant players in terms of high-quality wine. He is also one of the brightest and most creative, challenging vineyard owners as well as consumers with an assortment of remarkable wines… Magrez is also doing groundbreaking work in Morocco and Algeria, as well as producing limited production cuvées in Spain, Argentina, and Napa Valley, where he has begun making a Cabernet Sauvignon with the assistance of the brilliant viticulturist, David Abreu. Magrez’s oenologist of choice is the renowned Michel Rolland.”

Over the years they’ve worked with some of the best winemakers in the area. Benoit Touquette in the early years (Realm, Teeter-Totter). For this vintage, they recruited Aaron Pott, the man behind Blackbird, Seven Stones, Perliss, Quixote, and his own Pott label, among others.

Lettie Teague for The Wall Street Journal describes him as “the man behind some of Napa’s best wines” explaining that “many Pott-made wines cost in the low three figures - and most have been awarded some very big critical scores… as I tasted one wine and then another, I found certain thematic consistencies: an emphasis on super-plush, ripe (but not overripe) fruit and plush, dense texture.”

That brings us to the wine. It’s a big one as you know by now, although maybe not quite as large as some previous vintages if you’ve had them. It has an elegance about it, and that’s a good thing because it’s not flabby or totally blown out. Much more complete. Still, it’s oozing with an expansive core of dark mocha, blueberry, cassis, and vanilla. Mouthfuls of black fruit. The finish comes off ripe, which we love, and the acidity is dialed-in perfectly.

This is top-tier Napa Cab done right. End of story. If you have the means, we highly suggest picking some up before the next wine.

96 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Bernard Magrez’s 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, leather, licorice, spice, and chocolate unfold first, followed by brighter floral overtones and redder fruit that develop with aeration. Bright, salivating acids give the 2018 a real sense of poise. This is by far the most elegant and refined wine Bernard Magrez has made in Napa Valley. Superb. Drink 2024-2040.”