Mission Codename Thus with a kiss I die
Good news Romeo, we found your Juliet!
This easily covers the spread at $100+. But at our price, under $50!? An incredible value that makes other similarly priced Cabs seem like hot dog water.
A few weeks ago, we brought you the “Romeo” Cabernet and today we’re back with the counterpart - “Juliet”. And yes, it’s a similarly explosive, in-your-face, 97 POINT RATED powerhouse to behold.
Of course, Diehard Napa Cabernet fans already know Beau Vigne - whether through us recently, or from when they splashed onto the scene in the early 2000s with huge scores. Robert Parker labeled them “one of my favorite wineries.” and they’ve amassed countless 95-100-point wines. Taking over Kirk Venge after the 2018 harvest, today they have 100-point winemaking stud Julien Fayard (Lafite Rothschild, Smith Haut Lafitte, Melka, Quintessa, Realm, Covert Estate) running the show… and man, he’s just crushing it.
For this wine they sourced fruit from Atlas Peak, combining 98% Cabernet with 2% Petit Verdot. It might have a feminine name on the label, but it delivers raw strength, deep complexity, and teeth-staining power only found in mountain Cabs. Give it some air and then revel in the layers of boysenberry, plums, maraschino cherry, and blackcurrant liqueur. There’s an intriguing savory/spicy edge too, with cigar box, licorice, and roasted coffee beans in the mix. The finish surmounts for easily over a minute of plush, silky tannins undermining the deeply extracted red and black fruits. If there is a match made in heaven for it, we’d bet on beef ribs, either slow-braised or smoked until they are falling off the bone.
It’s obvious why Jeb Dunnuck called Beau Vigne Cabs “sensational wines!”
A Shakespearean conclusion: just like Romeo, we expect Juliet to sell out quickly.
97 Points – The Tasting Panel
“Spicier than her Romeo, Juliet is a savory beauty romanced by a sonnet of cigar leaf, black pepper, and sandalwood. Plummy flavors cling to dry, chalky tannins, delivering a complex mouthfeel as notes of soy sauce and dark cherry paint the palate.”
93+ Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Deep garnet-purple in color, notes of pencil lead, cedar and tapenade waft over a core of crème de cassis, baked plums and mulberries. Medium to full-bodied with bags of bright, crunchy black fruits and a firm, grainy texture, it finishes with a refreshing lift. Drink 2023-2038.”
Tasting Profile
Boysenberry, plums, maraschino cherry, crème de cassis
Look | Impenetrable and opaque almost all the way to the brilliant fiery red edge |
---|---|
Smell | Layers of boysenberry, plums, maraschino cherry, and blackcurrant liqueur |
Taste | An intriguing savory/spicy edge, cigar box, licorice, and roasted coffee beans |
Finish | Easily over a minute of plush, silky tannins, deeply extracted red & black fruits |
Pairing | Perfect for beef ribs, either slow-braised or smoked until they fall off the bone |
What the Winery Says
2018 'Juliet' Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon
- Winemakers
- Kirk Venge / Julien Fayard
- Varietals
- 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Verdot
- Vintage
- 2018
- Alcohol
- 15%
- Appellation
- Atlas Peak, Napa Valley
- Bottling date
- June 2020
- Aging
- 19 months
- Barrels
- 85% new French oak