2014 Kapcsandy Grand Vin Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Jeb Dunnuck called this “one of the gems in the vintage. I continue to find a Latour-like quality in this cuvee and the 2014 boasts a deep purple color, killer notes of lead pencil, charcoal, scorched earth, crushed rocks, and loads of dark fruits. Medium to full-bodied, elegant yet concentrated, impeccably balanced and with a big finish.” Galloni called it “dense, seamless and utterly impeccable, with no hard edges, beautifully integrated oak (100% new) and exceptional balance.” A truly expansive, sweeping bottle of red wine with decades to go in the tank!
Lou Kapcsándy has seen it all in his 80 years. He was a freedom fighter in the Hungarian revolution of 1956, a refugee from the Soviets, served proudly in the US Army, and had a highly successful career as a chemical engineer before starting his own Bordeaux import company with his son Louis Jr. in 1999. Lou first came to the Napa Valley in the early 1960s, so when in 2000 Yountville’s State Lane Vineyard—the core of so many great Beringer Private Reserve wines—became available, he pounced. He replanted the vineyard to tighter spacing, hired the late Denis Malbec of Château Latour as a consultant, and one of the great wines of the Napa Valley was born.
James Suckling
Extremely floral and complex on the nose with cedar, blackberries, blueberries, tobacco, stones, mushrooms... I'm simply running out of words here! Full to medium body and a tight and compact center palate. This is complete and dense. Extremely long and energetic. Drink in five years but a joy to taste. One of the best ever.
JD99Jeb Dunnuck
Lastly, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is one of the gems in the vintage. I continue to find a Latour-like quality in this cuvee and the 2014 boasts a deep purple color, killer notes of lead pencil, charcoal, scorched earth, crushed rocks, and loads of dark fruits. Medium to full-bodied, elegant yet concentrated, impeccably balanced and with a big finish, hide bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 2+ decades. This cuvee is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot that was brought up in plenty of new oak, and there are roughly 700 cases produced
VN98Vinous
A powerful, tightly-wound wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin is likely to require the better part of the next decade to come into its own. The most backward and brooding of these wines, the Grand Vin is also quite primary and closed in on itself. Still, the energy, drive and focus of the best vintages is very much in evidence. Today, the 2014 is dense, seamless and utterly impeccable, with no hard edges, beautifully integrated oak (100% new) and exceptional balance. (AG)
WA96