Barnett Vineyards 2022 Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District Napa Valley 750ml

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate scored the 2022 Barnett Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon 96 points, calling it “the pinnacle of the range at Barnett,” and describing it this way: “It’s the most concentrated of the various bottlings, accenting black cherries, cassis and raspberry notes with hints of crushed stone and pencil shavings. Full-bodied and firm but approachable, it’s a classic mountain Cabernet with two decades of potential longevity.”

Rattlesnake is the top wine from Barnett Vineyards, a Spring Mountain estate owned by Fiona and Hal Barnett. It comes from Rattlesnake Hill, a small rocky knoll on the estate at 2,050 feet, whose position allows “optimal sun exposure while being above the fog line,” and yet, being on top of a cool mountain, it retains the high acidity that Spring Mountain Cabernets are known for. The wine is 100% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, picked in small lots between September 28 and October 21, 2022, with the winery selecting only the best, 34.7% of the vintage’s Cabernet, “for complexity, intensity, and power to match the hill,” and aged 22 months in French oak barrels from 14 different coopers, 89% new.

The winery calls 2022 “a more accessible year for our Rattlesnake,” after a warm vintage that gave looser skins and a ripe, generous fruit profile. The tasting notes: “The color of the 2022 Rattlesnake is near opaque purple. The 2022 Rattlesnake is immediately fragrant upon popping the cork,” with “fresh blackberries turning to raspberry jam.” “The wine is beautifully round and plush. The tannins are big, chalky, and matched by the famous Spring Mountain acidity.” Those with patience to age it another 12 to 13 years, the winery says, will be rewarded.

The Rattlesnake has a long record with the critics: the 2012 earned 96 from the Wine Advocate, which called it “sensational,” and Wine-Searcher shows the wine’s critic average at 92 across 96 reviews of all vintages, with the 2023 scoring 98 from the Wine Advocate. A mountain Cabernet’s character is tannic and structured, and critics have long described it as “so tannic, it makes your tongue curl” when young, so a long decant or years in the cellar both help. It’s a collector’s wine and a landmark gift for Napa mountain Cabernet lovers. Serve it with ribeye, lamb, braised short ribs, and aged cheeses.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Barnett Vineyards 2022 Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon is produced by Barnett Vineyards (Fiona and Hal Barnett) in the Spring Mountain District AVA, Napa Valley, California, from 100% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from Rattlesnake Hill (2,050 feet, above the fog line), selected from 34.7% of the vintage’s Cabernet. Harvested September 28 to October 21, 2022, aged 22 months in French oak (89% new, 14 coopers). 750ml.

Critics Reviews

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate — 96 Points:
“The pinnacle of the range at Barnett is the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake Estate Bottled. It’s the most concentrated of the various bottlings, accenting black cherries, cassis and raspberry notes with hints of crushed stone and pencil shavings. Full-bodied and firm but approachable, it’s a classic mountain Cabernet with two decades of potential longevity.”

Barnett Vineyards (winery notes):
“The color of the 2022 Rattlesnake is near opaque purple. The tannins are big, chalky, and matched by the famous Spring Mountain acidity.”

Tasting Profile

Nose
Near-opaque purple. Fresh blackberry turning to raspberry jam, with black cherry, cassis, crushed stone, and pencil shavings.

Palate
Full-bodied, round, and plush, with black cherry, cassis, and raspberry, with big, chalky tannin and bright mountain acidity.

Finish
Long and firm, with mineral and pencil-lead notes.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Ribeye and grilled steak
• Lamb and venison
• Braised short ribs
• Aged cheeses

Serving Note

Decant for two hours or more; serve at about 62-65°F.