BigHammerWines.com

About the Wine

This wine belongs on your cellar list to stock up. This would probably be our go-to Cabernet Sauvignon when hosting… anyone, because it’s bold but complex, balanced, and just great. It’s the kind of Napa red that feels instantly impressive yet easy to enjoy—a perfect blend of craftsmanship and approachability. There’s a quiet confidence to it, the sort of wine that doesn’t need to shout to make an impression.

Behind the label is the powerhouse partnership of Matt Hardin and Thomas Rivers Brown—two names that carry serious weight in Napa Valley. Hardin brings generations of farming expertise, while Brown’s track record of 100-point wines speaks for itself. Together, they’ve created a Cabernet that reflects both the land and their shared vision: a wine of precision, balance, and undeniable charm.

The 2023 Napa Valley vintage isn’t just another great year – it’s the year that will be etched in history. Wine experts are calling it "the vintage of a lifetime," and for good reason. The perfect blend of cool temperatures, morning fog, and balanced sunlight created conditions so exceptional, they’re being compared to Bordeaux's iconic 1961 vintage. As The Wine Independent put it, 2023 is "a winemaker's dream in terms of wine style." Wine Bible author Karen MacNeil calls it "one of the most phenomenal vintages ever in Napa Valley."

Aging: 100% French Oak, 50% New 18 Months in barrel

Tasting Notes

Cabernet Sauvignon. Vivid aromas of blackberry, crushed minerals, and dark violets. On the palate, it’s powerful yet refined, showing layers of ripe red and black fruit, soft tannins, and subtle toasted oak. Freshness carries through the long, polished finish, making it both bold and beautifully balanced.

Critical Reviews

~ #51 Top 100 Wines of 2025 ~ Wine Spectator

Assuming pricing remains stable, Caterwaul's 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley—a 14,000-case blend this year—should remain one of the valley's greatest values. Boasting wonderful purity of fruit—black cherries and cassis—plus floral-herbal nuances, it's full-bodied, rich and velvety, maybe a bit open-knit but flavorful and structured, with a lasting finish. ~93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This rich and bold red has aromas of blueberry pie, currants, vanilla and chocolate cherries. It’s chewy and dense with mouth-coating tannins and a full body. Drink in 2026. ~93 James Suckling

Food Pairing

Ribs

Steak

Pork

Venison

Mouthfeel & Acidity

Wine characteristics including body, acidity levels, tannin structure, and sweetness profile.

Light Body Full Body

 

 

 

 

 

Low Acidity High Acidity

 

 

 

 

 

Soft Tannins Firm Tannins

Dry Sweet