TN: 2018 Caterwaul Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley)

2018 Caterwaul Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/13/2020)
Polished and refined. A lot going on here, but no sharp edges that stick out. The refinement might make you think it’s muted, next to a wine that elbows you with fruit or tannin or eucalyptus or whatever, but I quite like the style.

Bright plum, edging into prune, but not baked or overripe. Chocolate, graphite, dried herbs. Bright acid and young refined tannins. All balance, with medium concentration and intensity.

Good now, but consider holding for 2 more years. (93 pts.)

you are NOT helping my wine spending!

(thanks for the note, sounds terrific!)

Could not agree more! I’m a TRB fan and have been on the fence, but at this price, who am I kidding?

I bought a bottle last month based on what I read here. Maybe I should have bought more.

Great note for a great wine!

Thanks, all. Excited to try this one again in a few years, plus a Cemetery. Only one of those, though, so I’ll likely wait a bit.

I discovered Caterwaul in 2016. For some reason, I decided to ship their wines to my house instead of my offsite storage. As a result, I’ve drunk all of my 2016 Napa and Regusci, all of my 2017 Napa and Regusci, and a single bottle of the 2018 Napa. The 2018 Napa is the best Napa bottling by far. I’m going to try very hard not to touch another bottle of 2018 for 2 or 3 years… but I’ll likely fail.

Couldn’t agree more. I got to taste this early on (maybe 2015 vintage?) and the 2018 is way better. I think this is one of the best priced Cabernets I’ve had in a really, really long time.


(Disclaimer: I do sell this, but my comments are purely based on the wine itself. I don’t care where you buy it, if you love Cabernet, you’d be silly not to buy this).

Has anyone popped a cork on either the Regusci or Cemetery single vineyards yet?

The Napa is delicious, and I have several each of the above, but I’m trying to hold off since I think they will benefit from some slumber time…

Lots of good palates here liking this a lot more than I did. I must have had a bad bottle of this, because the one I did have tasted like somewhat generic grocery store Cabernet (posted in CT). I hope I’m wrong and you all are right! I’ll hold the other two.

Definitely more than a grocery store Cab to me, though obviously palates can vary. If you try another, would love to hear what you think about the second one.

I also wasn’t impressed by this wine. I did enjoy it, and I didn’t think it was typical grocery store level, but it did seem fairly generic to me. Well made, but nothing special, even for the price. I rarely drink Cabs younger than 5 years (but was curious with this one), so maybe I’d like it more in a few years. I also posted on CT (but like you, I’m in the minority).

I too was curious if someone could talk about the difference in the single vineyards vs the Napa? I’m definitely going to pick up 6 of the Napa and am pondering 3 each of the SV…thoughts?

Very roughly speaking, Napa is a blend of a number of different sites, truly an appellation wine - all components made & vinified by Thomas. Regusci is Stag’s Leap District, rich and full bodied while still retaining that down valley, Stag’s Leap feel. Cemetary is western hills, St. Helena AVA near Las Piedras. I like them all but this one is the star, if price is not a consideration. Full bodied, great fruit & color saturation - blind I suspect it would do very well against the highest of price points.

(Disclosure: I am involved with this wine/project)

I am with jond and Ian on this. Bought the '16 and it was smoking good last year. Then this year I bought a 6pack of the Napa '18s and a mixed 6 of the svd '18s. Pobega’d an '18 Napa on arrival and found it had a lot more going on than the '16 so I ordered another case. I am going to wait on the svd 18s unless someone can speak to their accessability now (and talk me into it).

Vinous just gave the Caterwaul 2018 Napa a 93 and a pretty glowing review which I would agree with.

“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is not just gorgeous, it is also one of the best values readers will come across. Ripe, juicy and expressive, the 2018 once again hits all the right notes. Inky dark fruit, smoke, licorice, spice and sweet floral accents all race out of the glass. Readers will have a very hard time finding a better wine for the money. The balance of various appellations works so well here. The Caterwaul Napa Valley bottling might just be the finest wine in the market in its price range.”

Here’s how I know I appreciate the note, I had a few in a shopping cart.

Then I pulled it back.

Not that I think this is may not be worth it, just that I need to build up in other areas.

Historically there are wines like these in the price range that show quite well in a given year and I’ll gamble missing out on this for the year. There is always next.

Outside my priorities, its a pick up to give a spin.

I tried this over the holidays and it’s really good. Although I would rate 91-92 in the current young state with the potential to be a 93-94. Again, really good juice for the money.

I bought six originally and after drinking one went back for six more a few weeks ago. Free shipping if bought direct from Caterwaul website. Hard to beat that.