2021 Rubus Wine Selections Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County 750 ml

He inherited a passion for wine from his father, one of the top collectors in the country. He became a Master Sommelier in 1989. And Robert Parker himself has called him "one of the finest palates and selectors of top wine, whether it be an inexpensive Muscadet or a top of the line Burgundy."

Now, with over four decades in the business, Fran Kysela's name is pure gold—but some of his most impressive work doesn't carry his name anywhere near it. That project is called Rubus: a brand he created to capture estate-grown, NDA-protected fruit and offer it at prices that make no sense for the quality in the bottle.

Kysela's reputation and decades of connections allow him to tap into sites that few can dream about, and his 2021 Rubus Cabernet comes from premier Napa Valley vineyards—though the names are protected by strict NDAs. Every Rubus wine we've offered has landed with stunning member ratings, and we're confident this 2021—from one of the greatest Napa vintages in recent memory—will be no different.

The 2021 vintage may go down as one of the greatest Napa has ever produced. Drought conditions meant smaller berries and reduced cluster weights—tiny, intensely concentrated fruit packed with color, tannin, and flavor. Wine Spectator rated it a 97-point "classic," and James Suckling called it "a classic vintage in the making across the board." Many in the trade consider it one of the finest of the decade.

Kysela's connections, plus the quality of the vintage, yielded incredible raw materials, and he gave them the white-glove treatment in the cellar. After 18 months in a combination of new French and American oak, the result is a Cab with serious depth and polish: dark fruit, a backbone of fine tannins, and a richness that reflects the vintage beautifully.

Expect a glass that opens with dark blackberry and cassis, layers of cocoa and cedar coming in behind. The palate is generous and smooth—ripe fruit riding on supple tannins, with vanilla and toasted spice from the oak adding complexity without ever getting in the way. It finishes long and polished, the kind of Cab that holds its own at any table.