2022 Society of Smugglers Maverick Red

Smuggler. Maverick. Crazy-ass son-of-a-bitch. These are all names John Fucking Caldwell will answer to—each one earned while pushing boundaries and helping bring Caldwell to the heights of California winemaking. Each year, we craft this wine as an homage. The 2022 vintage is made from four estate varietals and, as our winemaker Marc describes it, “an open-knit wine,” with unprecedented amounts of ripe, brooding red fruit showcasing the “Caldwell mouth” in its full glory—velvety, round, broad, and smooth. Pitch-perfect tannin and oak integration carry the entire flavor profile through a ridiculously long finish. This is a big-boy wine of the highest order.

Varietals

• 39% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 23% Syrah
• 23% Merlot
• 15% Cabernet Franc

Appellation: Caldwell Vineyard, Coombsville, Napa Valley, CA

Vineyard: Various blocks throughout Caldwell and Kreuzer

Fermentation Vessel: Stainless steel, Jupilles, and Berce French oak

Aging: 100% French oak, 75% new, for 20 months

Vintage Summary: One of the most unique vintages in history, and very much location-dependent. We fared incredibly well here in Coombsville, with one week of triple-digit temperatures in September, then rain, followed by another heat spike right at the end of the month. Luckily, temperatures topped out at 105°F at Caldwell, which is well within the tolerance of our vines, especially with the bay-cooled nights.