2021 The Setting Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

A superstar who has developed his craft over 20 harvests, Jesse Katz has worked stints at iconic properties like Château Petrus, Screaming Eagle, and Château Haut Brion. 

Much more recently, he shattered records when a six-liter bottle of his 2019 Glass Slipper Cabernet sold at a charity auction for a cool mil! He’s been named a Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker, a Wine Spectator Rising Star, and was the first winemaker to land on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. He developed a custom wine for the wedding of two friends—superstars Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. “Cult” is a word freely thrown around his releases for Devil Proof, Aperture, and The Setting, and they merit it.

Katz headed to Sonoma to try to do things no one’s done before. Vineyards like the one he chose for this wine are still being studied: As he told us, the region is decades behind Napa in terms of site selection. That means there’s an opportunity to make a mark by raising Cabernets like this one to unprecedented heights, all while keeping prices within the realm of reason.

Jesse was drawn to Alexander Valley in particular for its volcanic soils and distinctive climate, which features cold nights and days that heat up like a Wolf oven. For this 100% Cabernet bottling, he harvested grapes from Battle Family on Chalk Hill and Stuhlmuller in Alexander Valley, a property that supplies a roster of marquee Cabs we aren’t allowed to disclose here. These vineyards are fully mature, putting out intense, concentrated Cabernet with refreshing acidity. Jesse aged the wine in 80% new barrels from luxe coopers Darnajou, Boutes, Berger & Fils, Sylvain, and Taransaud.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 14.90%
• 1 hour
• Now – 2040
• % Cabernet Sauvignon
• Serving temperature – 58°
• Cork