2009 Abreu, Madrona Ranch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Bottle (750ml)

Few figures loom larger over Napa Valley than David Abreu, the valley's most meticulous vineyard manager and one of its finest winemakers.

A third-generation Napa native, he founded his namesake vineyard business in the 1980s and has spent decades since as the quiet force behind some of Napa's greatest wines, consulting for icons like Screaming Eagle, Harlan, and Colgin.

Madrona Ranch, planted in 1982 at the base of Spring Mountain, was Abreu's first vineyard and remains the clearest expression of his philosophy: high-density planting, clones matched to soil, and every row farmed like a grand cru.

2009 was a vintage known for producing wines that are lighter on their feet and easier to enjoy young, with softer tannins and bright fruit instead of the powerful, need-to-wait style. This vintage fits that mold, already drinking beautifully now, more than 15 years after harvest.

Antonio Galloni | 99 Points

"The 2009 Madrona Ranch is dark, virile and imposing, and yet it possesses exceptional balance and class to burn. New leather, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice, and spice notes abound. In some vintages, Madrona Ranch is impossibly tannic, and yet the 2009 is magnificent in its sense of poise and overall class. Vivid and finely cut, with tremendous drive, the 2009 will thrill readers lucky enough to own it. What a wine!"

Wine Advocate | 97 Points

"The 2009 Madrona Ranch has turned out to be spectacular. Lots of mulberry, blackberry, cassis, roasted coffee, chocolate and toast aromas are all present in the extremely perfumed bouquet. Showing more evolution and charm than other 2009s which seem to be closing down, this example is exceptionally concentrated and full-bodied with an endless finish. The tannins are ripe, and I suspect the alcohol is in the 14%-15% range, but no higher."