Notes from the Archivist

"Taplin's Keeper"

A new release enters the building, doing a ring walk with healthy swagger.

And why shouldn’t it? Taplin’s Keeper comes with some heavyweight credentials.

I think this stands tall with some of our best releases so far, giving 002 and 005 a run, which makes sense given it shares much of the DNA of its $150+ counterpart.

We scored this parcel of Coombsville Cab from a winemaker behind one of Napa’s most iconic labels. A name known by every collector. With a resume that includes Sinegal, Staglin, and a few other high profile spots, along with their own small, list-only label, this winemaker has steered many wines under each label into well deserved critical stardom.

While we wait for scores, I have little doubt it should stack up with some of our earlier release Cabs. If you’ve been paying attention, you know the release names offer a North star to help guide you to the source. And this one should be an easy one to follow.

While the source may be less elusive, the vineyard itself is so small that few people have ever heard of it. A small one acre plot in Coombsville planted entirely to clone 7 Cabernet supplies the fruit. Planted in the late 90s, the winemaker maintains close oversight over the organically farmed vines and keeps it under lock and key for their own personal project; but the surrounding neighborhood is prime, with the area’s most expensive Cabs grown just blocks away.

Stylistically, this emphasizes freshness, with youthful tension but still has all that inky rich decadent satisfaction you want in a Napa Cab from the increasingly prophetic 2023 vintage. A year that will surely go down in history as one of the greatest of all time. While there’s less of toasty oak influence, the 50% new French carries the deep purple/black fruit in a royal procession of black plum, blackberry and fig. Flanked with cloves and roasted baking spices and a touch of graphite minerality extending across the midpalate and flowing into a focused finish.

This is sexy stuff, at an attractive price, that’s for sure!