No Brainer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2023

Overview of the Wine                                                                     
Anna's journey began at the University of California Davis, where she earned a degree in Viticulture and Enology. She spent her fourth year studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. After completing her degree in  California, she returned to France to work the 2000 vintage at Château Cheval-Blanc. She was very fortunate to work for their technical director, Kees Van Leeuwen, one of the foremost viticultural professors in Bordeaux.
 
Anna then moved to the Napa Valley and spent two years as the assistant winemaker at Seavey Vineyard before working for five years as the assistant winemaker at Bryant Family Vineyard under the tutelage of philippe melka. In 2007, Anna became the winemaker at Piña Napa Valley, where she crafts single-vineyard designate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines and where she makes her Ilaria wines.

Anna and her husband, winemaker Mario Monticelli, make the Stack House, Tether, Brioche and No Brainer wines in Napa Valley. They also have Italian winemaking projects in the regions of Piedmont, Tuscany, Abruzzo. and Friuli-Venezia Giulia and French winemaking projects in Champagne and The Phone Valley. They travel to Europe with their three children to work on their wines there.

Winemaking is a family affair in the Monticelli home. Mario, was born into a family whose roots as winemakers span four generations. His father emigrated from Italy to California where he worked for over 50 years making wine for Gallo. He introduced Mario to the family business when Mario was a child, instilling in him a passion for cultivating grapes and making wine that defines his life today.

Mario earned degrees in Viticulture, Enology and Italian at the University of California Davis. He honed his craft working a harvest in Tuscany at Villa Antinori, then spent four years working as the assistant winemaker for renown consultant Philippe Melka for numerous Napa Valley producers. He then spent three years as the winemaker for Quixote Winery and thirteen years as the winemaker for Trinchero Napa Valley before becoming a consultant winemaker and focusing on his own projects.

Sustainable

Grape / Blend
94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec

Origin
Napa Valley, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
The 2023 No Brainer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon effortlessly dances out of the glass with vibrant aromas of blackberry, black currant and ripe cherries. Complex layers of crushed rocks, toasted oak, and a touch of spice frame the fruit core. Aromas of graphite and forest floor continue to unfold as the wine opens. The palate showcases a beautiful texture and integrated velvety soft tannins, culminating in a long-lasting mouth-coating finish.

92 Points - The Wine Palate
The 2023 No Brainer Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. Deep purple-black colored, it pops from the glass with vibrant notes of blueberries, boysenberries, and cassis, followed by hints of menthol and chocolate box. The full-bodied palate is soft-textured and vibrant with a lively line and loads of blue fruit on the finish.

91 Points - Ian Blackburn (AKA Teeth)
Delicious!  A No Brainer indeed.  Great color, concentration, and at this price - surprising complexity!  I would not hesitate to jump on a bottle of this while it is available.  

Product size: 750ml