Kennedy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2018

Operating in the world of luxury goods takes a keen eye for detail, appreciation for high quality, and patience for the superiority of diligent, handmade craftsmanship.  Whether speaking of the couture fashion houses in Paris, the meticulous watchmakers of Switzerland, or designers of Italy’s finest sports automobiles, these principles are the common thread.  Making a terroir-driven Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley is one such craftsmanship that centers around detail, persistence, and unwavering commitment to quality. 

The link between winemaking and luxury product is not lost on Johnathon Sipos, the vintner behind Kennedy Cellars.  After decades in luxury real estate development, he has come to understand what distinguishes good from great.  This ability extended to his consumption of wine, eventual education, and personal discernment that Napa Valley’s Cabernets stood above the rest.  And so Johnathon began to pursue developing a wine brand that holds steadfast to standards of quality and care that rivals the crème de la crème of Napa cult wines without commanding the same steep prices.

2018 was the first vintage for Kennedy Cellars, but the project started years before.  Johnathon traveled to Napa from Vancouver continuously during the label’s development, interviewing winemakers and visiting potential vineyard sources.  All the while earning his WSET III certification to ensure his knowledge grew with a hands-on approach.  Mentorships formed over the years with Oscar Renteria and Mark Neal, who guided Johnathon in selecting his winemaker, Toshi Wakayama. Toshi’s twenty years in Napa Valley and stylistic approach to Cabernet made him the perfect match for Kennedy Cellars.  Having apprenticed under Napa Valley heavy hitters like Philippe Melka and Kirk Venge, Toshi brings a deep familiarity with the terroir and a personal style shaped by some of the best.

Kennedy Cellars debuted with the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville.  The 25-year-old vines offer low, concentrated yields producing ten fewer cases per ton than the Napa Valley average.  Once fermented and gently pressed off, the wine aged in 100% new French oak barrels (sourced from four cooperages) for 28 months.  In maintaining that luxury products take patience to develop, Johnathon set no budgets or deadlines for the release of the wine.  As Johnathon and Toshi see it, they will know when the wine is ready for presentation, and they will not compromise on this philosophy to meet a financial constraint.  The 2018 Oakville is voluptuous, open, and fully ripe on the nose with dark berry fruits, baking spices, tobacco, and purple violets.  Balanced with acidity and fine-grained tannins, the Cabernet is sturdy enough for multiple years of aging yet appeals to many at first open.  It is a welcome achievement by Kennedy Cellars to craft an Oakville Cabernet that challenges the status quo by matching quality yet is priced for a broader population to enjoy and/or splurge on a bottle.