The 2023 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an estate-grown, estate-bottled Napa Valley red from the Togni family’s ten-acre vineyard high on Spring Mountain, at roughly 2,000 feet. The site has been in the family since 1975, with vines planted beginning in 1981; the oldest blocks date to 1985 and the youngest to 1997. The estate is farmed using organic practices, and the house style has long leaned toward a Left Bank Bordeaux sensibility rather than sheer ripeness.
This bottling is not a varietal Cabernet in the narrow sense, but a classic Napa mountain blend: Cabernet Sauvignon supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The winery itself describes it as a “Margaux-type blend,” a useful shorthand for the wine’s intended balance of structure, perfume, and longevity. While vintage-specific technical data (such as alcohol level, case production, and exact blend percentages) isn’t confirmed in the available material, the overall approach is consistent: mountain fruit, built for aging, and typically matured in French oak (the estate is often described as using about 40% new barrels over roughly 20 months, though that figure is not confirmed specifically for 2023).
The 2023 growing season in Napa Valley was notably long and mild, with abundant sunshine and slow, steady ripening. Philip Togni reports “ideal growing conditions,” with harvest beginning October 2—timing that aligns with the vintage’s extended hang time.
Critically, the wine has already drawn an exceptional review. Antonio Galloni (Vinous) awarded 98 points, calling the 2023 “outrageously beautiful” and “Captivating,” and highlighting “graphite, lavender, crushed rocks, menthol and dark spice.” Galloni frames it as “a vivid, explosive Cabernet that will need at least a few years to be at its most expressive,” a clear signal that the 2023 is best approached with patience and an expectation of development in bottle.
