ACCENDO CELLARS Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

(Napa Valley, California) $350

Bart and Daphne Araujo sold their prestigious Napa Valley winery Araujo to First Growth Château Latour in 2013. Accendo (pronounced ah-CHEN-doe) is their new venture, and this is the very first vintage of the cabernet. The wine is majestic. Simultaneously restrained and yet bursting with internal energy, it’s a racehorse stamping in wait for the gate to be flung open. The dark, woodsy aromas are intoxicating. The flavors—spicy, primordial, and exotic—are vividly precise. The word Accendo means to kindle, illuminate, inflame, and arouse. A must try—right?

Given the Araujos’ reputations, it’s no surprise that a Waiting List is already in place. But identify yourself as a WineSpeed reader, and the winery will do its best to accommodate you.

98 points KM