Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Fait-Main – Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023
St. Helena – Napa Valley – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the iconic Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. Crafted by Benoît Touquette (Fait-Main), this 2023 vintage is a powerful yet precise expression of Napa Valley Cabernet, emphasizing vineyard character, concentration, and structural integrity. Las Piedras’ rocky soils and warm site deliver intensity, while Touquette’s restrained hand preserves balance and clarity.

Aromas & Flavors
Dense and focused aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry compote, and ripe plum lead the nose. The palate follows with layers of dark cherry, cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and subtle espresso. Secondary notes of cocoa, cedar, and sweet spice emerge with air, adding depth without overshadowing the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and commanding, with firm, muscular tannins that give the wine its signature “bite.” The texture is polished but unapologetically powerful, carrying weight and concentration through a long, structured finish. This is a Cabernet built for longevity rather than immediacy.

Food Pairings
Grilled or dry-aged beef, lamb chops, braised short ribs, or mushroom-driven dishes. Also excellent with hearty, umami-rich preparations that can stand up to the wine’s structure.

Verdict
A serious, no-compromise Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Concentrated, structured, and expressive of both site and winemaker. This is not a casual pour, it’s a wine that demands attention and rewards patience.

Did You Know?
Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is known for its rocky, iron-rich soils, which naturally limit vigor and contribute to the wine’s intense structure, minerality, and age-worthy tannins.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This wine has punch and precision. Dark, deep, and unapologetically bold, with a real bite that reminds you that you’re drinking something special. A standout Cabernet that shows why Las Piedras and Touquette are such a formidable combination. — 3 days ago

Tom Garland

9.1

Double decant and pour (decent sediment). A formidable dark garnet color with some bricking. On the nose: very aromatic nose of dark plum, green vegi, leather, sandlewood, menthol, wet forest floor. Taste: soft, rich, medium body wine with dark plum, tobacco, smoke, minerals, and a very dry spicy minty mocha medium plus finish. — 5 years ago

with Brenda

V M

9.7

Sunday funday this wine is a perfect elegant pair to burgers and Cajun shrimp to eat and drink outdoors. This 2012 is drinking beautifully. Elegant yet expressive it brings forth the best of 2012 pomerol. Flowers and summer BBQ smoke on the nose it has bright red and purple fruit on the palate that while not overwhelming holds its own against spice and meat. It’s light enough to enjoy outside but formidable enough to linger without overwhelming a summer afternoon. Bravo to this wine. — 7 years ago

Alan Hense

9.2

Raspberry sauce, red cherries and cinnamon stand out in this well structured Beaujolais. Formidable! — 4 years ago

Kevin Cahoon

9.5

The youthful nose is dominated by high toned fruit notes of red cherry, pomegranate, raspberry with accents of allspice, iron ore and whole cluster fermented fruit, There is depth and complexity in the aromas but still quite coiled and restrained. Reticent but elegant red Pinot fruit flavors alongside a focused mineral edge. Dense fruit based tannins intertwined with the refreshing acidic zing provide a formidable structure. The finish has emerging but restrained red fruit and Corton power. This appears to need 3 to 4 more years to develop as air added layers but still reminded slightly reticent. I feel the wine will show well for many years. — 4 years ago

Edo Wachters

8.9

Once part of the Beychevelle estate, this is the 2nd wine of Chateau Branaire Ducru. The grape varieties are typical Bordeaux, with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. A medium bodied wine, with plum, blackberry and cassis. The fruit is very present, with soft tannines. After 10 years in the bottle still young, but soft, and years ahead of it still. Surprisingly good quality for about 17-18 Eur. Formidable! — 6 years ago

Bill Bender

9.4

First bottle since Saturday night’s bacchanal in tony West Des Moines (I still have 20+ wines to post)....it may be a combo of a great wine with low etoh and depriving myself for too long but this was just tremendous tonight. Formidable backbone and oozing balance, restraint and ripe red fruit. Floral dried cherry and pound cake. — 7 years ago

Tom Garland

9.2

30 min decant(little cloudy sediment). A formidable medium garnet color with some bricking. On the nose: perfumed notes of raspberry, vanilla, forest floor, and cedar. Taste: A creamy, juicy, balanced wine with red plum, smoke, touch of blueberry, minerals, earth, spicy vanilla oak, and a medium finish. Sticking pins in my Packers doll and crossing my fingers, let's see what happens. — 4 years ago

with Brenda

Tom Garland

9.2

1/2 hour decant (little cloudy sediment). A formidable dark tawny red color with decent bricking. On the nose: subtle nose of stewed meat, iron, cherry, smoke, and herbs. Taste: A creamy, smooth medium plus body wine with mouth coating raspberry, minerals, tar, leather, little chocolate, and a smokey tobacco medium plus finish. Drink em now or over the next few years. Cheers! — 5 years ago

with Brenda

Steve Pollack

9.4

Reduction initially, but with air and much swirling, it opened up. Beautiful and balanced. Wait at least 5 years. Formidable structure. — 6 years ago