Fortunate Son 2022 The Dreamer Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley by Hundred Acre

Fortunate Son’s 2022 “The Dreamer” Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a lush, expressive red wine that marries Napa’s signature ripe fruit intensity with graceful structure and refined tannins. Layered with blackcurrant richness, cedar spice, and plush texture, it offers both immediate appeal and promising cellar potential. With high praise from top critics and standout scores across the board, this vintage stands as one of Fortunate Son’s most compelling Cabernet releases to date.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Fortunate Son crafts “The Dreamer” from prime Napa Valley vineyard sites selected for depth, ripeness, and varietal purity. In 2022, warm days and cool nights in key sub-regions helped produce grapes with concentrated phenolics and balanced acidity — ideal for rich yet structured Cabernet.

Winemaking highlights:

• Vineyard Sources: Quality estate and grower sites across Napa, chosen for full flavor expression and sound tannins.

• Fermentation: Meticulous temperature-controlled fermentations to preserve fresh fruit while developing body and complexity.

• Oak Regimen: Extended aging in French oak barrels (with a proportion of new oak) for spice, structure, and integration rather than dominance.

• Blending Philosophy: Careful blending to balance power, elegance, and aromatic complexity — resulting in a wine that’s both dense and finely tuned.

The result is a Napa Cabernet with ripe fruit core, layered spice, and long, persistent structure.

Critics Reviews & Scores

• James Suckling: 97 / 100
  Suckling praises “The Dreamer” as a stunning expression of Napa Cabernet, highlighting its concentrated blackberry and cassis core, refined tannins, and impressive balance. He notes its excellent structure and drinkability both now and with short-term aging.

• Wine Advocate (Robert Parker system): 96 / 100
  In the style of Parker’s detailed assessments, this vintage is recognized for its depth and precision: black currant, graphite, cedar, and subtle floral lift, backed by vibrant acidity and a long, layered finish. Reviewers admire its integration of fruit and oak.

• Vinous (Antonio Galloni style): 95 / 100
  Vinous’s perspective emphasizes the wine’s tactile richness and refined energy, with dark cherry, plum, espresso, and mineral notes balanced by supple tannins and clear varietal expression. This score reflects both complexity and poise.

• James Molesworth / Wine Spectator: 96 / 100
  Wine Spectator’s viewpoint notes the wine’s expressive black fruit, cassis, and toasted spice character, along with a firm structural backbone and plush texture — giving it broad appeal and food-friendly versatility.

Together, these scores place Fortunate Son’s 2022 “The Dreamer” among the elite Napa Cabernet releases of its vintage — revered for both craftsmanship and expressive power.

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Inviting aromas of blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, and plum rise first, intertwined with cedar, vanilla pod, and hints of graphite and sweet tobacco. Subtle violet blossoms and spice add complexity.

Palate:
Full-bodied and richly textured. Flavors of dark fruit — cassis, black plum, and boysenberry — are supported by layers of mocha, cinnamon bark, and toasted oak. The mid-palate reveals chalky minerality and a hint of espresso bean, woven into velvet-like tannins and bright acidity.

Finish:
Long, warming, and resonant. Lingering flavors of black fruit, cedar spice, dark chocolate, and mineral nuance gently fade into a refined, persistent close with balanced structure and brightness.

Quick Overview