Napa Valley's glory – Cabernet Sauvignon

Writing my 200+ tasting notes on current-release Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons is an interesting exercise when one knows the notes will be viewed by a readership wider than Americans accustomed to the fruity, rich, opulent style of California. As one British journalist (not Jancis) complained to me, “All that ripeness, all that sweetness, all that alcohol! How can you drink those wines of yours?”

This comment, which I hear frequently from across the Atlantic, shows that some have their minds made up about what Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is and isn’t. Such a bias doesn’t change how I assess the wines...