Winemaker Notes
The fourteenth vintage of Solomon Lot 70 is phenomenally lush, supple-textured and loaded with ripe, black fruit and spice flavors. Dark, black fruit is at the fore, couched in continued and long-lasting layers of excellence. This might be their greatest Solomon Lot 70 yet.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
The Solomon Lot 70 is more delicate in 2022, showcasing crunchy red-skinned fruits—cherry, strawberry, and pomegranate—layered with sandalwood spice and spearmint. The medium-bodied palate builds to a crescendo, framed by velvety tannins with a subtle sweetness. A bright saline-acid finish lingers with star anise, leather, and cumin nuances. Drink or hold. Covenant co-founder Jeff Morgan's late business partner, Leslie Rudd, used to provide Cabernet grapes from his Oakville and Mount Veeder vineyards. Still, Morgan has painstakingly sourced equally fantastic sources throughout Napa. There's plenty of symbolism in the name Solomon Lot 70. Rudd's Hebrew name is Shlomo (Solomon). Morgan's maternal family are also the Solomons, and the number 70 in Hebrew numerology is 'gematria' or 'wine.' For all the symbolism on the label, this kosher red non-mevushal is kosher only as a symbolic gesture stipulating that the wine be touched or handled by Sabbath-observant Jews. As Morgan puts it, 'No boiling or other nefarious methodology is required. Covenant wines are native yeast fermented, unfined, and typically unfiltered.' And I will add that they are fantastic wines that belong in the homes of serious collectors of excellent California wine. (Kosher)
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James Suckling
Very elegant and well balanced. A flavorful yet agile wine that’s full-bodied but stays fresh in feel, lifted by good acidity and fine-grained tannins. A nice sense of layering and detail in the notes of red and black cherries, pomegranates, cocoa and iron.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Covenant's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Solomon Lot 70 is the winery's top cuvée, but its aging potential has likely been lessened by the warmth of the vintage. That said, it's immediately approachable—a full-bodied, supple, almost creamy-textured example of Cabernet, with bold cassis fruit and gentle herbal overtones—and should still hold up well for a decade and a half. It's already delicious, showing ample weight and richness in a precocious style.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.