PlumpJack Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

PlumpJack Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is a full-bodied Oakville Napa Valley red wine bottled at 15.4% ABV in a standard 750ml format. This vintage earned 94 points from Wine Advocate, affirming its standing among Napa Valley's elite Cabernet Sauvignons from one of the appellation's most storied estates.

Quick Facts: ABV: 15.4%  |  Origin: Oakville, Napa Valley, California  |  Vintage: 2019  |  Winery: PlumpJack Estate Winery

Production & Heritage

PlumpJack Estate Winery occupies prime vineyard land in Oakville, one of Napa Valley's most celebrated Cabernet Sauvignon appellations. The estate made industry headlines in the late 1990s as the first Napa Valley winery to bottle premium Cabernet Sauvignon under screwcap — a bold move that challenged long-held assumptions about fine wine closures. The 2019 vintage is a Bordeaux-inspired blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and 5% Malbec, combining the structural depth of Oakville fruit with the added complexity that Petit Verdot and Malbec bring to the mid-palate and color.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with a rush of juicy blackberry, dark plum, and boysenberry, layered over deeper notes of muddled raspberry. As the wine breathes, secondary aromas of cardamom, cinnamon, tilled soil, iron, and sage emerge alongside hints of truffle and unsmoked cigar.

Taste: The entry is gorgeous and silky, immediately delivering concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry preserves that saturate the mid-palate. As the wine develops, earthy accents of damp soil, molasses, and spice weave through the opulent fruit. The structure is beautifully balanced — full-bodied and rich without crossing into heaviness — with layered complexity that reveals orange blossom and dark chocolate with extended time in the glass.

Finish: Exceptionally long, carried by finely integrated, velvety tannins that frame the black fruit and earthy sage notes through the fade. The texture remains plush and seamless from start to finish, with no rough edges.

How to Drink PlumpJack 2019

This Cabernet is best enjoyed neat in a large-bowled glass at around 62–65°F, with 30 to 60 minutes of decanting to unlock the full aromatic complexity. While its richness and structure reward pure sipping, it also holds up in spirit-free wine cocktails: a Cabernet Sangria built with dark stone fruits echoes its plummy core; a Kalimotxo (red wine and cola) is an unconventional but effective way to enjoy it in a casual setting; and a New York Sour — traditionally a whiskey cocktail floated with red wine — benefits from the wine's deep color and velvety fruit.

Best For

• Gifting a serious Napa Valley wine collector
• Anchoring a multi-course steak dinner
• Celebrating a milestone anniversary or promotion
• Building a vertical cellar collection of PlumpJack vintages

Frequently Asked Questions

What does PlumpJack 2019 taste like? It delivers bold, concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry preserves with layers of earthy truffle, cinnamon spice, and sage, all wrapped in velvety tannins. The overall impression is opulent and rich with exceptional balance and a very long finish.

How does PlumpJack 2019 compare to Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon? Both are premium Napa Valley Cabernets, but PlumpJack sources exclusively from Oakville estate fruit and blends in Petit Verdot and Malbec, yielding a darker, more earth-driven profile. Silver Oak is known for extended American oak aging that imparts sweeter vanilla and dill tones, while PlumpJack tends toward denser fruit concentration and spice complexity.

Is PlumpJack 2019 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — this is primarily a sipping wine, with the layered complexity, velvety texture, and long finish that reward undivided attention in a proper glass with some decanting time.

Where is PlumpJack 2019 made? PlumpJack Estate Winery is located in Oakville, a benchland sub-appellation in the heart of Napa Valley, California. Oakville is widely regarded as one of the world's premier growing regions for Cabernet Sauvignon, benefiting from well-drained gravelly soils and warm, consistent growing seasons.

What foods pair well with PlumpJack 2019? Grilled ribeye steak complements its bold tannin structure; braised short ribs mirror the wine's earthy depth; aged Gouda or Gruyère balances its fruit richness with savory nuttiness; wild mushroom risotto echoes its truffle and soil notes; and dark chocolate desserts align with the wine's cocoa undertones on the finish.

What sizes does PlumpJack 2019 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format for this vintage.

Is PlumpJack 2019 worth the price? PlumpJack Cabernet Sauvignon positions as a premium Oakville estate wine, priced in line with other top-tier single-appellation Napa Cabernets. With 94 points from Wine Advocate and estate-grown Oakville fruit, it delivers strong value within its category for collectors and serious Cabernet enthusiasts.

Why PlumpJack 2019?

PlumpJack helped reshape perceptions of fine wine packaging when it became the first Napa Valley estate to seal its top-tier Cabernet under screwcap in the late 1990s — a statement of confidence in both the wine and the science. The 2019 vintage, scoring 94 points from Wine Advocate, showcases Oakville's ability to produce profoundly concentrated, velvety Cabernet Sauvignon without sacrificing balance. The three-grape blend adds nuance that straight varietal bottlings often lack, layering Petit Verdot's violet-edged structure and Malbec's plush mid-palate flesh over the Cabernet's blackcurrant backbone. For anyone building a Napa collection or seeking a benchmark expression of what Oakville terroir delivers in an outstanding vintage, this is a compelling bottle.