There are few things as embedded in the American psyche as Thanksgiving. Traditionally held on the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving celebrates community and the coming year.
Its roots are said to date back to the 1621 feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, although that is not without some controversy from the indigenous perspective.
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Equally embedded in the American psyche is the perfect accompaniment to Thanksgiving, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Like Thanksgiving, few wines are more definitively American, in both profile and prestige.
Napa Cabernet is known for its big, bold flavors of cassis backed by the vanilla notes of French oak, although sometimes American might sneak in.
Before we get to Napa's finest, it's worth going through a bit of housekeeping. The below wines have all been ranked according to their critic score which is aggregated from our pool of critics; each one weighted according to their reputation.
The prices are all in USD and reflect the global average retail price – or GARP – of each product.
Naturally, Napa's finest represent some of the wine industry's greatest rockstars with prices to match.
Number one is Harlan Estate. Based in Napa Valley's Oakville AVA, Harlan Estate was founded in 1984 by property developer William Harlan.
Since its inception, the estate has gone on to establish itself as one of America's most lauded producers, with eight vintages scoring 100 points from Robert Parker.
With an aggregated score of 97 points – impressive even for the top wines – Harlan Estate comes in at an average price of $1605.
Number two is the Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Eisele Vineyard, previously known as Araujo Estate. The estate was founded in 1990 by Bart and Daphne Araujo who purchased the Eisele vineyard, which was already known for growing great Cabernet Sauvignon.
Keen stewards of the land, the Araujos farm biodynamically and have since gone on to established themselves as one of California's cult producers.
The Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has a critic score of 97 points and a price point of $495.
Three is the Thorevilos Cabernet Sauvignon by Abreu Vineyard. The estate was founded in 1960, and has four main sites across the St Helena and Howell Mountain AVAs all known for producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon.
Founder David Abreu has had previous involvement in fellow Napa giants Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate. Abreu Vineyards has also been lauded by Parker.
Thorevilos sits between the St Helena and Howell Mountain AVAs, and the resulting Cabernet Sauvignon has gone on to enjoy a lauded reputation.
Currently, the wine has an aggregated score of 97 points and a price point of $618.
Number four is the aforementioned Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon roaring into action; no list of Napa wines would be complete without it.
The first seeds for the estate were sown in 1986 when former real estate agent Jean Phillips planted the first vineyards. The winery was built a little later and the first vintage was released in 1992.
Parker scored the inaugural vintage a whopping 99 points, and Screaming Eagle has been dominating the chart ever since.
With an aggregated score of 97 points, the eagle lands at $3806.
Five is the Promontory, a pure Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville AVA. Another passion project from William Harlan, Promontory is a single wine with a single mission, to reflect the unusually rugged and isolated landscape of Oakville's southwestern ridge.
The resulting wine has an aggregated critic score of 97 points, and a price point of $998.
Number six is the Madrona Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon from Abreu Vineyards. Madrona Ranch was the first site David Abreu fell in love with, and subsequently poured his heart and soul into.
The resulting wine has a score of 97 points, and a price point of $597.
Seven is the Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red. Colgin Cellars was founded by Ann Colgin in 1992, and she initially hired the aforementioned viticulturalist, David Abreu to help plant her vineyards.
The IX Estate Red is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot aged in new French oak barrels, with several vintages scoring 100 with Robert Parker.
Wine-Searcher currently has the IX Estate red ranked at 97 points with a price of $610.
Eight is the Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Bryant Estate was first established in the 1980s by Don and Bettina Bryant. Since releasing their first vintage in 1992, the estate has established a strong reputation for age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. Unsurprising, considering David Abreu is also their vineyard manager.
The Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has 96 points, and a price point of $678.
Nine is the Las Posadas by Abreu Vineyard which has a critic score of 97 points, and a price point of $502.
Finally, number ten is the Tychson Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Colgin Cellars which boasts a score of 97 points and a price point of $645.
Napa really does only mean one thing: great big reds with great big prices to match. That turkey better be worth it.
