Method, Cabernet Sauvignon

My friend Trevor and I started Method in 2015 with a simple idea: make seriously good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon—sourced from the same blue-chip neighborhoods as the most famous wines—but price it with lean margins so restaurants could pour it by the glass and people could drink real Napa Cabernet whenever they wanted without sacrificing a chunk of their paycheck. In a valley where land prices read like luxury real-estate listings, that goal would seem impossible… yet here we are. The 2023 Method Cabernet is our strongest release yet, drawn from main two parcels: one in western Oakville and another a mile north of St. Helena just east of Highway 29—sites whose names we can’t share due to NDAs, but whose pedigree becomes obvious the moment the cork is pulled. If you love high-end Napa Cabernet but hate paying high-end Napa prices, this is the wine you keep stocked at all times. Put it next to bottles three to five times the price in a blind tasting and nobody would ever guess it is out of place, which is exactly what we tried to do.

From day one, we built Method on principles that aren’t easy to maintain: keep margins lean, keep marketing costs minimal, and keep fixed costs low so the value ends up in the bottle, not in overhead. We spent a decade working our way into contracts in some of Napa’s most coveted areas, building relationships quietly, striking when timing and price aligned, and letting the wine tell the story. That philosophy has shaped more than just our Napa bottling—our white-label Method “California” Cabernet (a completely different animal) was just named #1 best buy of the Year (under $20) by Wine Enthusiast, and it’s absolutely worth tracking down if you enjoy overperforming bottles. Over the years, we’ve earned a quiet but loyal following, and while I don’t lead with scores, anyone who enjoys chasing them won’t have to look far to see this wine earned some serious respect—check out the James Suckling review for reference.

In the cellar, we keep things classic but with modern precision: 100% destemmed fruit, small-lot fermentations, and élevage in French oak—typically 10–15% new—to frame the Cabernet without overwhelming it. No shortcuts, no theatrics, just focused Napa winemaking centered on purity of fruit, balance, and structure. The 2023 delivers a deep core of black cherry and cassis, graphite, warm sage, cocoa dust, and that unmistakable valley-floor aroma seasoned Napa drinkers instantly recognize. The tannins are structured yet integrated, the fruit luxurious yet controlled, the finish long and seamless with the oak perfectly folded in. It’s the rare Napa Cabernet that drinks like a luxury bottle while remaining accessible enough to be your house pour. Serve it on the cooler side—around 60–65°F—in large Bordeaux stems. A brief 20–30 minute decant is recommended but not required. I hope you enjoy!