“Hyper-clean, quality-focused… a Napa newcomer to watch.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Grape Culture might be a new project, but the Cranor family has been in the industry for years. They started Nottingham Cellars in Livermore nearly 20 years ago. Recently they branched out and set up shop in Napa. If you locked in some of their tremendous High Tide Cab last summer or the Nottingham Cab and Zin we recently offered, you know they’re cooking up some killer stuff. It helps to work with vineyards like Sangiacomo, Sugarloaf, Beckstoffer Georges III, Nosotros, and other top sources.

As The Independent recites “The first Grape Culture wines were well received, encouraging the pair to expand their efforts to source Cabernet Sauvignon from prized Napa vineyards. From the outset, both Cranor and Ploof have been ecstatic about the relationships they’ve established with Napa Valley growers, feeling they are among kindred spirits who strive for excellence at every turn.”

A deep garnet-purple color and a blooming nose of freshly crushed blackcurrants, ripe blackberries, and wild blueberries with suggestions of truffles plus wafts of savory spices. On the palate it’s opulent, and fantastically concentrated with layers of black and red berries, framed by amazing tension, finishing with epic length and loads of mineral sparks. With sweet chocolatey tannins and a fresh backbone of acidity, it is simply oh-so Sugarloaf… so fire that grill up for sure.

Sugarloaf is a site that few have access to, including your all too familiar Morgado and Purlieu along with the much harder-to-come-by Bevan, Aperture, and Venge examples. Cabernet Sauvignon from Sugarloaf is prized alright, but the Cabernet Franc grown here surely takes things up a notch. Juicy, with loads of red fruit – such as raspberry whips, strawberry licorice, and ripe cherries. It has that ubiquitous “luxury” polished, soft mouthfeel, and easily deserves the $125 release price from the winery.

Yet with our ninja move to slash it in half and then some, at a mere $59, it becomes a silly steal of sorts.

Oh, and with those scores to back it up? Steal me!

95 Points – The Wine Independent

“Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Cabernet Franc Sugarloaf pops from the glass with bold notes of violets, espresso, rose oil, and tar leading to a core of black cherry preserves and blueberry pie plus a hint of cardamom. The medium to full-bodied palate offers great intensity of blue and black fruit layers, with ripe, fine-grained tannins and compelling tension leading to a long and perfumed finish on this pretty wine. Drink 2025-2045.”

94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Owner Collin Cranor and Director of Winemaking Craig Ploof have successfully bottled the 2021 barrel samples that showed so much potential when I first visited their South Napa warehouse winery in 2023. This captures the essence of the variety as expressed here, offering up gentle tobacco and tomato leaf hints over a base of black cherries. It’s medium to full-bodied, streamlined, silky and smooth, finishing long. Drink 2025-2035.”