Kapcsándy Family Winery
Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Yountville, Napa Valley, California, USA
Bright full ruby. Very dark nose combines black fruits, violet, graphite and river rock, plus subtle hints of molasses, tobacco and leather; less relentlessly primary than more recent vintages, but then 2010 widely produced explosive, complex, soil-driven aromas. This wine, too, shows a slightly liqueur-like quality yet seems less evolved than the Roberta's. Stunningly silky yet penetrating too, with its dark fruit, mineral and floral flavors conveying terrific vinosity and cut. A firm tannic spine gives this savory wine terrific grip on the palate-staining back end. A distinctly European style in the context of Napa Valley, with its outstanding flavor complexity aided by alcohol below 14%. (100% new French oak). (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, May 2020)
Bright full ruby. Very dark nose combines black fruits, violet, graphite and river rock, plus subtle hints of molasses, tobacco and leather; less relentlessly primary than more recent vintages, but then 2010 widely produced explosive, complex, soil-driven aromas. This wine, too, shows a slightly liqueur-like quality yet seems less evolved than the Roberta's. Stunningly silky yet penetrating too, with its dark fruit, mineral and floral flavors conveying terrific vinosity and cut. A firm tannic spine gives this savory wine terrific grip on the palate-staining back end. A distinctly European style in the context of Napa Valley, with its outstanding flavor complexity aided by alcohol below 14%. (100% new French oak). (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, May 2020)
Again sorry forgot to take picture so stock photo - was afraid it was flat but was better after sitting in the glass - finish was not what I had hoped
Again sorry forgot to take picture so stock photo - was afraid it was flat but was better after sitting in the glass - finish was not what I had hoped
Jul 19th, 2018
Happy 4th of July! Three American classics from a recent dinner in London. The Kapcsandy was as phenomenal as it has always been. Simply tremendous....
Happy 4th of July! Three American classics from a recent dinner in London. The Kapcsandy was as phenomenal as it has always been. Simply tremendous....
Jul 4th, 2018Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.
I have always adored the 2010 vintage in Napa Valley. Two thousand ten is significant because it is one of the first Napa vintages I reviewed in The Wine Advocate and the beginning of a serious obsession with trying to understand terroir in California that, among other things, resulted in our project to map the vineyards of Napa Valley to an extent that had never been done previously. From the moment I started tasting the 2010s, it was obvious the wines were extraordinary. The weather was unusually cold and damp for most of the growing season. Perhaps for that reason, many observers totally missed the quality of the wines, including one prestigious American publication that bestowed a low rating on the vintage. I can still remember the outcry on the Parker bulletin board when we published reviews for the 2010s. How could a cold year produce so many high-scoring wines, readers wondered. Well, as it turns out, a late-season heat spike appeared at just the right time to push the fruit to full ripeness. Growers who deleafed aggressively were burned by the heat, but those who were more prudent in the field made truly deep, profound wines. The best 2010s combine the structure of a cool year with the ripeness and fruit intensity of a warm vintage, a combination that is incredibly appealing.
I have had the good fortune to taste Kapcsándy’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin on many occasions, from both bottle and magnum. Here, in London, 5,300 miles away from Yountville, the wine is simply extraordinary. Then again, Kapcsándy’s State Lane Vineyard is widely considered one of the top sites in Napa Valley. Of all the bottles on the table, the Kapcsándy garners the most rapturous attention because of its stunning beauty and the surprise it delivers to an audience weaned mostly on European wines. Quite simply, the 2010 Grand Vin remains a towering achievement from Lou Kapcsándy, his son Louis, and their late winemaker, the super-talented Denis Malbec. All I can say is… wow! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2018)
I have always adored the 2010 vintage in Napa Valley. Two thousand ten is significant because it is one of the first Napa vintages I reviewed in The Wine Advocate and the beginning of a serious obsession with trying to understand terroir in California that, among other things, resulted in our project to map the vineyards of Napa Valley to an extent that had never been done previously. From the moment I started tasting the 2010s, it was obvious the wines were extraordinary. The weather was unusually cold and damp for most of the growing season. Perhaps for that reason, many observers totally missed the quality of the wines, including one prestigious American publication that bestowed a low rating on the vintage. I can still remember the outcry on the Parker bulletin board when we published reviews for the 2010s. How could a cold year produce so many high-scoring wines, readers wondered. Well, as it turns out, a late-season heat spike appeared at just the right time to push the fruit to full ripeness. Growers who deleafed aggressively were burned by the heat, but those who were more prudent in the field made truly deep, profound wines. The best 2010s combine the structure of a cool year with the ripeness and fruit intensity of a warm vintage, a combination that is incredibly appealing.
I have had the good fortune to taste Kapcsándy’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin on many occasions, from both bottle and magnum. Here, in London, 5,300 miles away from Yountville, the wine is simply extraordinary. Then again, Kapcsándy’s State Lane Vineyard is widely considered one of the top sites in Napa Valley. Of all the bottles on the table, the Kapcsándy garners the most rapturous attention because of its stunning beauty and the surprise it delivers to an audience weaned mostly on European wines. Quite simply, the 2010 Grand Vin remains a towering achievement from Lou Kapcsándy, his son Louis, and their late winemaker, the super-talented Denis Malbec. All I can say is… wow! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2018)
Finishing off the weekend appropriately,
This needed a few more years, but still worth opening,
Finishing off the weekend appropriately,
This needed a few more years, but still worth opening,
Great power, elegance, finesse and balance! Tannins are a bit firm but will age very well. Outstanding wine and one of my favorite producers in the NV!
Great power, elegance, finesse and balance! Tannins are a bit firm but will age very well. Outstanding wine and one of my favorite producers in the NV!
Jun 5th, 2014