Groth "Oakcross" Proprietary Red 2021 (Oakville, Napa Valley, California) - [VM 95] [OB 94] [TWI 94] [WS 93] [DM 93] [JS 93] [JD 92] [WA 92]

Groth "Oakcross" Proprietary Red 2021
(Oakville, Napa Valley, California) - [VM 95] [OB 94] [TWI 94] [WS 93] [DM 93] [JS 93] [JD 92] [WA 92]


$110.00 $104.97 Save $5.03
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VM95 OB94 TWI94 WS93 DM93 JS93 JD92 WA92
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About the Wine:

2022 was a tale of two harvests, the first beginning August 30, with Sauvignon Blanc brought in from the eastern side of the Groth Oakville Estate. Shortly after, the cooler-than-average temperatures we’d seen since veraison gave way to a significant spell of heat that had our vineyard and cellar teams working at maximum capacity. Milder weather returned mid-September, as the first few lots of Reserve Cabernet started making their way into the winery. Unscathed by the heat wave, fruit quality was excellent, translating to a vintage of beautiful white and red wine.

Tasting Notes

The 2022 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant wine that presents a deep, purple-ruby hue. It offers an elegant bouquet on the nose, with layers, of toffee, blueberry pie, and raspberry compote, complemented by delicate vanilla bean, macerated cranberry, and shortcrust pastry. Herbal notes of bay leaf and tarragon add complexity, enhancing the wine’s refined character. On the palate, vibrant flavors of cherry reduction sauce, tart red plum, wild cherry, and fresh strawberry come to the forefront, while hints of dried herbs, tobacco leaf, and fresh pomegranate juice bring depth and intrigue. The wine finishes with fine, grippy tannins, offering structure and a lively, energetic experience. - Ted Henry


Ratings & Reviews


95 Points - Vinous:
"The 2021 Oakcross is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. A rich, heady red, the 2021 offers up copious dark fruit intermingled with scents of graphite, menthol, licorice, chocolate and dried herbs. Give the potent tannins a few years to soften. Drinking Window: 2026-2041." -Antonio Galloni (Dec 2023)

94 Points - Owen Bargreen:
"The 2021 'Oakcross' was named after Groth's Oakville Estate that was first planted back in 1973. This edition has considerably less Cabernet Sauvignon than the 2020 bottling—as the 2021 is a silky combination of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 34% Merlot and the remainder Petit Verdot. Violets, tar and espresso grounds mark the nose alongside dense dark fruits. The palate is bright and beautifully textured, with fantastic verve and underlying tension and weight. Everything is in clockwork balance here. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drinking Window: 2024-2039." -Owen Bargreen (Aug 2024)

93 Points - James Suckling:
"A well-crafted, balanced and textural red that's refined and controlled. Aromas of blackberries, black plums and cedar dominate on the nose. Full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Harmonious and pulpy with a flavorful finish and excellent length. 63% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot and 3% petit verdot. Try after 2025." -James Suckling (Mar 2024)

93 Points - Decanter:
"A powerful and attractive Oakville Cabernet. Red and black-toned fruits are laced with brown spices, as chalky mineral aromatics build in the glass nuanced by chocolaty-tinged cedarwood. Full-bodied with juicy blueberry and blackberry fruit notes, robust tannins, and a lengthy finish marked by black currants, creme de menthe, and earth. Better from 2025. Drinking Window: 2024-2034." -Jonathan Cristaldi (May 2024)

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A well-built red, displaying a muscular core of steeped black currant and blackberry fruit inlaid with hints of sweet tobacco and sage and carried by a rich spine of loam and warm stone. Shows a nice throwback touch. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2038." (Oct 2024)

92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, Groth's 2021 Oakcross Proprietary Red delivers notes of black cherries, cedary oak, loamy earth and dried spices. It's full-bodied, rich and expansive, picking up hints of vanilla and mocha on the lingering, supple finish. Quality seems to have kicked up a notch since the 2019, but maybe it's just the increased concentration in the fruit this year. Drinking Window: 2024-2035." -Joe Czerwinski (Mar 2024)

92 Points - JebDunnuck.com:
"Lastly, the 2021 Proprietary Red Oakcross is based on 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and a splash of Petit Verdot. Its deep purple hue is followed by impressive aromatics and ripe red and black fruits, graphite, chocolaty herbs, and some subtle mineral notes. It's medium to full-bodied, has a broad, layered mouthfeel, fine tannins, and the vintage's fresher, focused style." -Jeb Dunnuck (Dec 2023)