WINERY After Jack and Jamie Davies revived the historic Schramsberg property in Napa Valley, their son, Hugh Davies, initiated a red wine program using the family’s estate vineyards on Diamond Mountain. Starting in the 1990s, Hugh undertook the replanting of the home property to red Bordeaux varietals leading to the J. Davies Cabernet program; he later partnered with North Coast growers to launch Davies Vineyards Pinot Noirs.

WINE The Davies family, proprietors of Schramsberg and Davies Vineyards in Napa Valley, presents its twenty-first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon crafted from the historic Diamond Mountain property they purchased in 1965. The estate vineyards were replanted to Bordeaux varietals beginning in 1994, and the J. Davies Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was first released in 2004 (2001 vintage).This offering is the creation of two generations of the Davies family, the product of an intimate knowledge of this property, reflecting their passion to craft delicious red wine. The wine is named in honor of patriarch Jack L. Davies, who along with his wife, Jamie, revived the Schramsberg property and established the preeminent American sparkling wine house 59 years ago.

The vineyard blocks, totaling 46 acres, are laid out in four isolated pockets ranging from 500 to 1000 feet in elevation. They include the two Schram sections, Napa Valley’s first hillside vineyards, originally planted in 1862 by Jacob Schram, the McEachran parcel, first planted by Colin McEachran in 1878, and the Claes parcel, dating back to 1984. These are the southernmost vineyards in the Diamond Mountain District AVA. Flanked by two cool creek canyons (Nash Creek to the north and Ritchie Creek to the south) and surrounded by compact coniferous and deciduous forests, the vines here produce late-ripening, richly concentrated fruit with average yields of just two tons per acre.

The 2021 growing season began with minimal rain, resulting in modest bud break in the spring with heat spikes from June through the beginning of September, ensuring small-sized and intensely-flavored berries. Harvest began towards the end of September, with a more natural load on vines and grapes packed with flavor, resulting in another remarkable vintage.

”Our 2021 J. Davies Estate Cabernet Sauvignon presents a bouquet of brooding black currant, blackberry, cocoa powder, and toasted marshmallow, layered with espresso and anise. A powerful entry on the palate leads to a broad mid-palate of lush black cherry, pomegranate, acai berry and black pepper, which is completed with a velvety, balanced structure and long finish.”
– Winemakers Sean Thompson, Jessica Koga and Hugh Davies