AXR 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750ml

AXR's estate carries nearly 150 years of layered, genuinely colorful history — originally the August Hersch Winery in the 1880s, tied to tales of the first woman vintner in California history in 1886, and over 134 years serving at various points as a brewery, restaurant, inn, saloon, and winery before three wine-savvy friends — Kelly Trevethan, Mark Schratz, and Don Van Laeken — purchased the property in 2017 (when it was known as V Madrone) and partnered with acclaimed winemaker Jean Hoefliger to build something new. The name itself pays direct homage to AxR1, the historically significant rootstock (a cross of Aramon and Rupestris) that helped shape the foundation of the modern California wine industry — a genuine nod to the literal "roots" beneath every bottle of Napa Cabernet.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% varietal wine, hand-picked from several of AXR's single-vineyard sources, including the Harbison vineyard in Oakville and the Artalade vineyard on Pritchard Hill — fermented naturally in small, handcrafted lots under Hoefliger's guidance. Jean Hoefliger's own read on the 2021 vintage is worth noting: unusually low pH levels for Napa gave the wines real freshness, and rather than the more voluptuous character of some recent vintages, he describes 2021 in terms of "elegance, class, and beauty."

James Suckling found "cedar and blackberry with blackcurrant and violet aromas," a wine "medium- to full-bodied with hints of hazelnut and chocolate and some olive undertones," closing "so fresh and vivid at the end" and calling it "all about balance and drinkability." First Bottle Wines described "a silky, luscious, and inky" wine, unfurling "with scents of cedar wood, black currant, and blackberry, spinning in notes of dark cocoa powder and shaved hazelnut." The estate's own tasting notes describe deep, dark, shiny eggplant with touches of black cherry and ruby, an explosion of cedar, cinnamon, and cooking spices meeting black currant, thyme, rosemary, cigar box, and graphite, with a juicy entrance evolving into a dense mid-palate of granular tannins coated in sweet plum fruit, lingering on graphite and blackberry jam. CellarTracker's community has scored the wine a strong 92.3 average across 11 reviews. Wine.com specifically recommends pairing it with Texas-style smoked beef ribs — a bold match for a wine built with real intensity and richness.

Origins & Craftsmanship

AXR's estate, located two miles north of St. Helena in Napa Valley, carries a genuinely layered nearly 150-year history — originally the August Hersch Winery in the 1880s, with ties to the first woman vintner recorded in California history in 1886, and cycling through use as a brewery, restaurant, inn, saloon, and winery across 134 years before being known as V Madrone until 2017. That year, three friends — Kelly Trevethan, Mark Schratz, and Don Van Laeken — purchased the property and partnered with winemaker Jean Hoefliger to found AXR. The name is a direct homage to AxR1, the Aramon-Rupestris rootstock cross that played a foundational role in the development of California's modern wine industry.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal, blended from several of AXR's single-vineyard sources, including the Harbison vineyard in Oakville and the Artalade vineyard on Pritchard Hill. Grapes are entirely hand-picked and naturally fermented in small, handcrafted lots for extensive quality observation, under the direction of consulting winemaker Jean Hoefliger. The 2021 growing season delivered unusually low pH levels for Napa Valley, contributing real freshness to the finished wines. Bottled at 14.90% ABV, full-bodied, oaked, and sealed under natural cork. Visitors to the historic estate can tour the pre-Prohibition property, sample directly from the barrel in the cellar, and walk through the estate's redwood grove.

Critics Reviews

James Suckling 94 Points:
"Cedar and blackberry with blackcurrant and violet aromas. Medium- to full-bodied with hints of hazelnut and chocolate and some olive undertones. So fresh and vivid at the end. All about balance and drinkability."

AXR / official winery tasting notes:
"On the rim: deep, dark, shiny eggplant with touches of black cherry and ruby. On the nose: explosion of cedar, cinnamon and cooking spices with black currant, thyme, rosemary, cigar box and graphite. On the palate: juicy entrance evolving on a dense mid-palate with granular tannins, but coated with a sweet fruit like plum, lingering on graphite and blackberry jam."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Deep, dark, shiny eggplant color with touches of black cherry and ruby. Cedar, cinnamon, and cooking spices open, joined by black currant, thyme, rosemary, cigar box, and graphite. Powerful cassis leads the aromatic profile, alongside blackcurrant and violet.

Palate
Juicy on entry, evolving into a dense mid-palate of granular tannins coated with sweet plum fruit, lingering on graphite and blackberry jam. Medium to full-bodied, with hazelnut, chocolate, and subtle olive undertones adding complexity, dark cocoa powder and shaved hazelnut layering further depth.

Finish
So fresh and vivid at the close — balanced and genuinely drinkable, with graphite and blackberry jam persisting alongside the wine's characteristic spice and cedar notes.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Texas-style smoked beef ribs — Wine.com's own specific recommendation
• Grilled steak or lamb
• Aged hard cheeses
• Rich, savory braises