Napa Valley’s reputation is often tied to single-estate Cabernet Sauvignon, but Decanter’s September 2026 panel tasting puts the focus on the region’s red blends—and the results are notably strong.
The panel tasted 76 Napa Valley blends and found “remarkably high quality across the board.” Of those wines, two were rated Exceptional and 36 were rated Outstanding, a result that reinforces the depth of talent currently working across Napa’s appellations.
The importance of this goes beyond scores. Napa’s best blends are where producers can use Cabernet Sauvignon as a foundation while bringing in Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, or Malbec to refine aromatic complexity, tannic shape, and freshness. At their best, they are not simply “Cabernet plus other grapes”; they are composed wines, built for balance.
For collectors who often default to labels and individual vineyard designations, the September panel is a timely reminder that the most compelling Napa bottles are sometimes the wines where the final blend—not a single varietal percentage—is the real signature of the estate.
Sources: Decanter
