"These are always among my favorite wines in Napa Valley, as they are consistently well-crafted and represent the best of the Oakville corridor." — Robert Parker
Famous for its flagship Reserve and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, PlumpJack Winery has been crafting Napa Valley wines since 1995, with origins dating back to 1992. Originally founded as a small wine shop in the heart of San Francisco, the brand is named after the fictional character, Sir John "PlumpJack" Falstaff, known for his love of wine and camaraderie in Shakespeare's Henry IV. Over the past three decades, PlumpJack wine has become one of Napa Valley's most celebrated estates, with an array of approachable and delightful blends.
PlumpJack Wine Beginnings
PlumpJack Winery is situated in the famed Oakville AVA on the foothills of the Vaca Mountains. The 42-acre estate is surrounded by some of California’s finest wineries, such as Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, and Rudd Estate, and holds one of the region's most storied histories. The land can be traced back to 1881, when the site was controlled by Mt. Eden Winery, then later purchased in 1974 by Anne Giannini McWilliams, the granddaughter of Bank of America's founder, A.P. Giannini. Furthermore, the site was used in the 1940 film, They Knew What They Wanted, starring Carole Lombard, the former wife of Clark Gable.
After 21 years of ownership, Anne and her husband sold the land to two local developers, Gavin Newsom and Gordon Getty. The duo opened PlumpJack Wine & Spirits in 1992, growing the company to one of San Francisco's top retailers before opening PlumpJack Winery in 1995. Building upon this success, the portfolio has since expanded to include the illustrious sister wineries of CADE Estate Winery and Odette Estate Winery, both also well-known for their Napa Cabernet wines.
PlumpJack Estate Winery: Oakville Terroir
PlumpJack Wine's prime location in Oakville is dominated by rich, clay soils on the valley floor. The site is solely planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, as the aged vines receive the perfect mixture of drainage and water from the nearby Napa River; thus, the ripened fruit grows to become soft and supple.
Head winemaker, Aaron Miller, has masterfully guided each harvest since his 2012 arrival, bringing invaluable knowledge from his time as assistant winemaker at Lewis Cellars. The estate's flagship labels, the PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and PlumpJack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, are the only two estate-grown offerings. The PlumpJack Merlot, Syrah, and Chardonnay are all crafted with fruit sourced from sites in Carneros, Rutherford, and Calistoga. Low yields are favoured at PlumpJack Winery, with only 10,000 to 12,000 cases produced each vintage across all wines.
PlumpJack Winery: Rare 'Screw Cap' Luxury Wines
The 1997 PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon marked the onset of an unusual bottling in fine wine— the use of a screw cap. To avoid trichloroanisole (TCA), better known as cork taint, PlumpJack Winery began using screw caps for 50% of its bottles and corks for the remaining half. The estate has remained dedicated to this innovative bottling, inspiring other Napa winemakers to follow suit. Furthermore, PlumpJack only sends screw-capped bottles to critics, making history as only the second screw-capped wine to receive a perfect 100-point rating from Robert Parker with the 2013 Reserve Cabernet.
PlumpJack Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Under Aaron Miller's guidance, PlumpJack wines have garnered 100-point scores from Robert Parker on three occasions, with the 2013, 2015, and 2016 PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons nailing the mark. Consistently awarded for its tremendous richness, intensity, and ageing ability, PlumpJack Cabernet is among the most sought-after in Napa Valley.
PlumpJack Cabernet 2013
Only Aaron Miller's second vintage in charge, the 2013 Reserve Cabernet was labelled a "total knock out" by Antonio Galloni thanks to the wine's purity and texture, perfect representations of Oakville's terroir. The final blend comprised 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot.
PlumpJack Cabernet 2018
Though not awarded 100 points by The Wine Advocate, the 2018 Reserve Cabernet received a near-perfect 99-point score and an additional 97-point rating from Vinous Media. The deep garnet, full-bodied expression is expected to last for decades in the cellar and has been noted for its hints of spice and black fruit florals.
2012 & 2014 PlumpJack Cabernet
Parker praised the 2014 Reserve Cabernet, awarding it 98 points and describing it as "Extremely full, massive, and highly extracted…a sensational wine, with loads of blue and black fruits." He similarly extolled the 2012 vintage, characterising it as "Full-bodied, powerful and formidable in extract and richness…a stunning example of the vintage from a great terroir."
Both the 2012 and 2014 vintages of PlumpJack Cabernet Reserve bottlings represent some of the finest years in Napa Valley's modern history, representing ideal weather conditions and the ageability of these decadent styles now with 10+ years of cellaring.
Stock Up on PlumpJack Wine
A formidable Napa estate for 30+ years, PlumpJack Winery has cemented its status as a premier winery in the region thanks to the beautiful Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Limited production means bottles can be difficult to find; take advantage of our collection and add a bottle of PlumpJack Wine to your cellar today.
