2018 Gibbs 'Three Clones' Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

• 94JS Napa Cabernet
• "One of the best Napa Cabs under $50" ~Decanter
• Top Value Estate Cab Family Owned & Operated
• Free Shipping on 12 or more bottles

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About the Wine

Gibbs crafts one of the best Napa Cabs under $50. Impeccably polished and balanced the first sip leaves you dumbfounded that you stole this wine for $35 a bottle. We've tasted a huge variety of Napa Cabernets over the years and The 2018 Gibbs Three Clones Cab is unquestionably one of the best values we've seen in over two years. 

Friends, ask yourselves where in Napa are you finding estate owned and operated Cabernet Sauvignon with 94pts at this price? Answer: You aren't until now.

Bring home as many bottles as you can because there won't be any left of this small production Napa Cab when you want to come back for more. 

Napa Valley is filled with plenty of small production and family-operated wineries but none more deeply rooted in quality winemaking and family values than Gibbs. This small estate has spent the majority of its winegrowing career selling its grapes to other estates throughout the valley. With the family's history deeply rooted in agriculture, growing high-quality and superior fruit came naturally. Today the Estate is run by 2nd generation winemaker, Craig Handly, with the next generation quietly waiting in the wings.

Dr. Lewis Gibbs Carpenter Jr., a lifelong farmer, and psychologist with a history rooted in the cattle ranches of Gilroy, moved to Saint Helena and bought land on the valley floor. An agriculturalist at heart, Lewis’ expansive orchards, and personal garden were a testament to his hard-working attitude and dedication to Napa Valley’s natural resources. By the 1970s, he had replaced most of his nut and fruit orchards with several Bordeaux varietals of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot, all of which were beginning to gain international attention following the Judgement of Paris in 1976.

It wasn’t until the year 2000 that Craig Handly, Lewis’ son-in-law who was working in the valley as a label designer at the time with his wife Susan, began making wine from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes grown by Lewis. These first batches were the beginning of Craig’s new career as a winemaker. Over the next decade, he honed his skills while making private label wines and bottling under his first labels. When Lewis passed away in 2013 the Gibbs brand was born, an expression of the quality of fruit that Lewis passionately grew for 60 years. To this day, their Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc come from the same vineyards planted by Lewis over forty years ago.

Aging: 22 months in French Oak

Tasting notes

Red Wine. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. On the nose, there are aromas of ripe black cherries, vanilla, sweet spice, and dusty French oak with a textured mid-palate bursting with red plum, juicy dark fruits, and notes of black pepper. Finely etched tannins are present throughout providing structure and extending the delicious finish that hints at notes of coffee and toffee.

Critical Reviews

Very pretty sweet-berry and bark character to the blueberry and black-cherry aromas that follow through to a medium to full body with firm, silky tannins, and a creamy finish. Nicely crafted and balanced. Very drinkable now and beautiful, but best after 2023. ~94 James Suckling

A bushel of inviting blue and purple fruits on the nose. The palate is spongy and sweet but with impressive balance and complexity at this price point. The finish ends with fine tannins and beaming acidity. Highly recommended; a truly fantastic value. Napa Valley Cabernet: Best value 2018 wines under $50 ~91 Decanter