Producer Focus | Alejandro Bulgheroni - Up to 100pts (JD)

Acquired only as recently as 2014, Alejandro Bulgheroni’s outpost in Napa has quickly risen to gain a huge cult following. Bulgheroni is no stranger to success when founding wine estates, having established Uruguay’s most celebrated estate, Bodega Garzón. He also has wineries in Barossa Vallley, Brunello di Montalcino, Bordeaux & Argentina.

Comprised of some of the finest lands in all of California, Bulgheroni's Napa property is located in St. Helena, at the base of the Howell and Vaca mountain ranges. After purchasing the estate, Bulgheroni quickly set about an extensive renovation and enhancement project to upgrade the old stone winery, plant new vineyard blocks and transform the tasting salon with the goal of crafting exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon in the heart of the Napa Valley.

Alongside the estate improvements, Bulgheroni installed a superstar team, including Philippe Melka, of Dominus and Petrus fame, and the consultancy skills of the legendary Michel Rolland.

In addition to their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Bulgheroni also produces wines under the 'Lithology' label, reserved for single-vineyard expressions of the finest, most revered terroirs in Napa.

Today we are delighted to bring you a number of back vintages from this outstanding producer.

Positive, full-bodied, and powerful, the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is the ultimate expression of the house’s work, a fact not missed by Jeb Dunnuck, who regularly scores the wine in the high 90s to 100-point perfection.

Lithology Beckstoffer Dr Crane hails from the hallowed Dr. Crane vineyard at the base of the western hills of St. Helena. Napa pioneer, Dr. George Belden Crane, originally planted the vineyard in 1858, and today, the flawless Cabernet grapes grown there help produce this complex wine that screams quality and class.

From a St. Helena vineyard planted by early Napa settler Edward Bale more than 150 years ago, and later serving as the estate vineyard for the area’s first winery built by Henry Pellet in 1860, the Beckstoffer Las Piedras site always delivers delicate wines. When placed next to Dr. Crane, the Las Piedras shows a certain elegance, with a very graceful entry and finely detailed complexity.

The Lithology Cabernet Sauvignon is a rock-solid, affordable entry into the world of Lithology, crafted with the same love and attention to detail as its highly regarded siblings.

Arriving into AMFW in autumn, these wines already have a few years of maturity under their belt and are just approaching their drinking windows now. With a good couple of decades ahead of them, these wines are delicious today, or can be kept under wraps for future enjoyment.