2021 Judd's Hill Founder's Art Reserve estate spotlight
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2021 Judd's Hill Founder's Art Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $114.98 and the average is $114.98. Our slash is $115.00.
2021 Judd's Hill Founder's Art Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Art Finkelstein's reserve, hand-selected barrels, family Napa Cabernet. Fifty-five on two or more.
Art Finkelstein built Whitehall Lane, walked away, and started Judd's Hill, named for his son. Founder's Art is the reserve named for Art himself, a different artwork on the label each year. Eric Lyman and Alex Young made the 2021. Two or more are $55 a bottle. A single bottle is $115.
A family reserve named for the founder. Fifty-five on two.
Art and his brother built Whitehall Lane in the 1970s. Art left that larger house because the grind had eaten the passion, and built something smaller. Judd's Hill, 1989, named for his son Judd. Founder's Art is the reserve, barrels chosen each year from the top of the tasting. Art died in 2010. Every vintage since carries his name. 2021 was a Napa year James Suckling called an apex vintage. This bottle does not carry a locked critic score of its own. Two or more are $55.
Art Finkelstein was an architect in Los Angeles before he was a Napa winemaker. Whitehall Lane first, then he walked away at 30,000 cases and built something smaller. Judd's Hill, 1989, 14 hillside acres, no more than 3,000 cases a year. Founder's Art is the reserve named for Art, a different painting on the label each vintage. Art died in 2010. Judd and Holly run the house. Eric Lyman, Navy veteran, winemaker since 2016. Alex Young alongside.
The house
Proprietor Judd Finkelstein. Winemakers Eric Lyman and Alex Young.
The wine
84% Cabernet Sauvignon with Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Merlot. 18 months, 13% new French oak. 14.7%.
The reserve
Founder's Art is the barrel selection named for Art Finkelstein.
The table
Ribeye, roast chicken, a family steak night.
The wine as poured
Named critics only. No shop names. No aggregate score in the corner.
No named critic score is locked on this exact bottle. The tasting below is the wine as poured.
Black cherry first. Then pencil shaving.
Pretty in a way that sneaks up. First taste is good. Second taste is the one. Ripe dark black cherry, then black plum, blackcurrant, light pencil shaving, boysenberry through the back half. Full-bodied with breadth, not extracted power. Smooth tannins start to finish. Serve near 62 F.
18 months in 13% new French oak. 14.7% alcohol.
Ripe dark black cherry, black plum, blackcurrant, light pencil shaving, boysenberry. Full-bodied, smooth tannins, clean classic finish.
Pretty in a way that sneaks up. First taste is good. Second taste is the one. Ripe dark black cherry, then black plum, blackcurrant, light pencil shaving, boysenberry through the back half. Full-bodied with breadth, not extracted power. Smooth tannins start to finish. Serve near 62 F.
Serve near 62 F for reds, colder for whites. A short decant if the note asks for air.
Eric Lyman and Alex Young
84 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 percent Cabernet Franc, 4 percent Petit Verdot, 4 percent Syrah, 2 percent Merlot. Eighteen months, 13 percent new French oak. 14.7 percent alcohol. About 3,000 cases across the whole estate each year. This reserve is a small lot from that.
2021 Judd's Hill Founder's Art Reserve
Judd's Hill is still family-run. The Founder's Art label changes artwork each vintage. This 2021 is Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, on the glass.
2332 Silverado Trail, one mile north of Napa. Terrace tastings by appointment. MicroCrush still runs in the same cellar.
What to put on the table
Food only. No bottles on the plate.
Reds near 62 F in a proper glass. Whites colder. A 20 to 40 minute decant when the tannins ask for it.
Gordon Ramsay cooks ribeye. A cooking video for the pairing, not a winery film.
Pan-seared ribeye
A classic Napa Cabernet and a steak.
View Recipe for Reverse-sear ribeye (opens in a new tab)
Herb roast chicken
Power and polish. It does not need a speech before the first pour.
View Recipe for Herb roast chicken (opens in a new tab)Founder's Art Reserve, 2021. Family Napa Cabernet. $55 when you take two.
Art Finkelstein's reserve, hand-selected barrels, family Napa Cabernet. Fifty-five on two or more.
Two or more are $55 each. A single bottle is $115. Twelve bottles ship free.
