Barrett & Barrett, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014

There's almost too much to tell you about this wine. I'm fangirling so hard that I don't know where to start.. Barrett & Barrett is a personal project from the "First Lady of Wine", the "Queen of Cult Cabernet", the creator of SCREAMING EAGLE: Heidi Barret and her incredible Husband Bo Berret. The first co-lab between the King and Queen of Napa after four decades of individual success. The brand serves as a fusion of their two distinct styles: Bo’s expertise in farming the rugged Calistoga vineyards and Heidi’s precision in crafting balanced, "cult" Napa wines. It is a small-production, family-run estate meant to be a legacy for their daughters, Remi and Chelsea. The motto reflects the couple’s shared philosophy and lifestyle. Beyond winemaking, both are pilots, scuba divers, and skiers. The "Land, Sea, and Sky" refers to the three elements they work with intimately as winegrowers: the land (soil), the sea (nurturing water), and the sky (weather and climate). This is also represented on the label by a coin featuring a Hippocampus, a mythical creature that bridges these realms. The blend approximately 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged for approximately 20 months in French oak barrels, typically using a high percentage of new oak (around 60–100% depending on the lot) to provide structure without overpowering the fruit. The oak is chosen for tight grain to ensure a subtle, integrated toast. The vintage opens with an opulent nose of black cherry, plum, and crème de cassis, underpinned by sophisticated notes of cocoa and cedar. On the palate, it is dense yet remarkably fresh, driving a core of blackberry and dark chocolate through a linear, acid-driven frame. The experience concludes with "pixelated," fine-grained tannins that provide a polished structure, leading into a savoury finish of tobacco leaf and crushed peppercorn. Pair this structured Cabernet with a char-grilled ribeye steak served with rosemary-infused butter to complement its herbal undertones and cut through the rich marbling.