As we look back at 2025, we’re proud to celebrate a year defined by critical acclaim and exceptional craftsmanship from Winemaker Sally Johnson Blum. Tamber Bey’s estate-grown and vineyard-designated wines earned outstanding scores from some of the wine world’s most respected reviewers, including Wine Advocate’s Joe Szerwinski, Decanter Magazine’s Jonathan Cristaldi, James Suckling, and Dr. Owen Bargreen. Here are Tamber Bey’s top-rated wines of 2025.
2022 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Estate Vineyard, Oakville
95+ Points Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Sourced from our three-acre estate vineyard in Oakville, this limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon stands out as Tamber Bey’s most celebrated wine of the year. With its layered dark fruit, mocha accents, and structured elegance, this Oakville Cabernet exemplifies our benchmark style — powerful yet polished. The 95+ score positions it among the elite Cabernet Sauvignons of Napa Valley in 2025. The “plus” indicates this wine will improve with age.
“From the winery’s three-acre estate vineyard in Oakville, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate Vineyard is an undeniable beauty. Loamy earth, mocha-tinged oak, black cherries and cassis all mingle easily on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is richly concentrated and structured, framed by velvety tannins that linger harmoniously on the long, mouthwatering finish.” —Joe Czerwinski
256 cases produced.
2022 Vermejo, Bordeaux-style blend, Deux Chevaux Vineyard, Yountville
94 points, Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine
A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec, and 1% Merlot. This Yountville Bordeaux blend delivers complexity, savory aromatics, and refined structure, showcasing the sophistication of the Deux Chevaux Vineyard site and our “best of barrel” winemaking program. Brooding flavors of ripe black cherry, coffee, dark chocolate, plum, flowering date palms and wet slate are true to the wine’s Cabernet-driven nature, while simultaneously pushing past the expectations of Cabernet into the realm of something truly new, with the incorporation of exotic fruit and spice contributed by our Petit Verdot. While the wine is ready to drink upon release, it has been crafted with the acid balance and tannin structure to age for decades.
“A standout among Tamber Bey’s 2022 wines, the Deux Chevaux Vineyard Vermejo from Yountville offers fragrant character with sagebrush and lifted dried herb qualities, alongside unsmoked tobacco and layers of dark-toned fruit. Velvet-textured tannins laced with tobacco and white pepper nuances provide structure and depth, leading to a finish of excellent length and good tension—notes of coffee bean and mocha round out this expressive and finely balanced wine.” —Jonathan Cristaldi
222 cases produced.
2022 Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon, Jericho Canyon Vineyard
93 points, Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon captures Calistoga’s intensity and warmth, delivering bold fruit, structure, and refined oak integration. It is a beautiful presentation of the terroir of our winery’s home AVA. Sourced from the hillside vineyards of Jericho Canyon, grapes ripen to perfection in the region’s long, sunny days. This wine is barrel fermented and aged 19 months in French oak, allowing us to achieve beautiful integration of the oak tannins and aromatics. The wine expresses gorgeous flavors of ripe red plum, berry coulis and toasted hazelnut, and a lush, mouth-coating texture.
“Super-ripe cherry and black currant jelly notes lift from the glass, complemented by sandalwood and cherry liqueur. Dusty violets add intrigue. Full-bodied and framed by satiny blueberry and blackberry fruit, with cedar-rich tannins that are firm, fine, and carry a sweet black tea quality. The finish lingers with warm brown spice, rounding out this bold yet polished expression.” —Jonathan Cristaldi
188 cases produced
2023 UV Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
93 points, Dr. Owen Bargreen
Elegant and expressive, this Pinot Noir from the famed UV Vineyard in the Russian River Valley reflects Winemaker Sally Johnson Blum’s precision winemaking and site transparency, offering vibrant red fruit character with balanced structure. It presents an exuberant mix of classic and showy varietal flavors. Rich plum, blackberry and candied orange rind are offset by subtle hazelnut and jasmine blossoms. The texture is lush with a rich, vibrant finish. Its beautiful ruby-red color delivers a bouquet of Bing cherries, acai, and toasted oak, which are lifted by a graceful hint of mint. The palate is sumptuous and decadent, pointing toward cherry cola and boysenberry, grazed by blackberry and touch of warm baking spices. It has a punchy mouthfeel, loaded with springy acidity that carries the flavors to last and last, satisfying its own depth and tension. Charmingly layered, the gentle tannic structure tucks in the crispy acidity with a goodnight kiss of caramel mocha.
450 cases produced.
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Deux Chevaux Vineyard, Yountville
91 points, Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast, and James Suckling
Our 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Deux Chevaux Vineyard is Tamber Bey’s original wine, with a 50-case first release back in 2001. Year over year, this wine represents a classic Napa valley-floor Cabernet Sauvignon, with richness and well-balanced, approachable elegance. Dense, blue-black fruit notes of cassis, black raspberry, chocolate-covered cherries, and dark plum are balanced by a powerful explosion of flavor on the palate, and a rich, lingering finish.
1,200 cases produced.
2022 Rabicano, Bordeaux-style blend, Deux Chevaux Vineyard, Yountville
91 Points, James Suckling
Tamber Bey’s estate-grown Bordeaux-style wine, Rabicano, is a masterful blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and 10% Malbec that exhibits the unique traits of the Deux Chevaux Vineyard.
“The nose is fruit-driven, with aromas of wild blackberries, tobacco and licorice. The palate is full-bodied with finely integrated acid and tannins, showing notes of blueberry compote, sweet spices and dried herbs.” —James Suckling
987 cases produced.
