Ulysses

Ulysses vineyard was acquired in 2008 by Christian Moueix. Situated along Napa Valley’s Oakville bench and extending over an alluvial fan at the foot of the Mayacamas Range, the site was once part of the famed Charles Hopper ranch and it is exceptional for winegrowing. The soil is composed of deep, gravelly, clay loam and is particularly well-suited to growing Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ulysses is a distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It should be decanted prior to serving.

2014

Wine Advocate 94: The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was aged for 17 months in 45% new French oak, is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wine is dense purple, with sweet cedar wood, unsmoked cigar tobacco, crème de cassis, and black raspberries in a classic, almost St.-Julien/Pauillac style. This emerged from a valley floor vineyard on the west side of Napa, where Christian Moueix told me that 2014 was characterized by generally slightly higher than average temperatures for the summer with only minor heat spikes in June and July. August and September went off without a hitch, and the harvest took place during the month of September. This full-bodied wine will hit its peak in 3-5 years and last for 25-30.

James Suckling 98: The evolution of this wine has been phenomenal since I tasted it in barrel a year ago with the same black cherry, plum and citrus character but with a turn to orange leaf, dark Chinese tea, and mushroom. Full body, fine and velvety tannins with a touch of dust to the texture. So much chocolate and fruit undertones with forest floor and hints of tobacco, too. The mouthfeel and complexity are seductive.

Vinous 91-94: In 2014, the Cabernet Sauvignon is dark, virile and imposing, with notable depth and intensity for the year. Grilled herbs, smoke, tar, graphite, tobacco and licorice meld together in a deep, effortless wine that remains quite embryonic. The darker tonalities of fruit recall the 2013, but the forward, dense fruit leans more towards the style of the 2012. The story of 2014 comes down to rain. Specifically, there was none, and the wine very much reflects that struggle with nature.

Decanter 96: Another lovely wine from Ulysses, a property which is rapidly establishing itself as one of Napa's top addresses. The 2014 reveals a complex bouquet of briary fruit tones, wild plum and rich soil. On the palate the tannins are beautifully fine-grained, powdery and ample - a powerful but elegant frame for the wine's vivid fruit.

2016

Wine Advocate 95+: The deeply concentrated and densely colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon needs additional cellaring. While its tannins are ripe and reasonably supple, the flavors need time to unfold—right now, there's a lot of dark chocolate, mocha and rich loamy notes, with black cherries and cassis yet to really blossom.

James Suckling 99: Aromas of sweet berries, fresh herbs, currant bush and licorice. Terracotta. Full body, layered and soft, velvety and focused tannins. Breathtaking texture. The focus ad polished is phenomenal. Harmonious. Enticing. Fascinating and thoughtful. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Drink or hold.

Vinous 98+: The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is fabulous. Bright, powerful and pulsing with energy, the 2016 possesses stunning textural depth allied to a real sense of drive. Black cherry, tobacco, menthol, sage and licorice give this Cabernet from southern Oakville much of its distinctive personality. In this tasting, the 2016 Ulysses simply towers with pedigree and character. I loved it.

Wine Enthusiast 93: With small additions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this robust red is herbaceous and earthy in compost and forest floor. Earl Grey tea and red currant continue the savory thread of flavor amidst soft, silky tannins and well-integrated oak.

2018

Wine Advocate 96: The current-release 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon shows more cherries and bay leaf on the nose than prior vintages. There's still a solid framework of cedar, loam and cassis, hints of mocha and licorice, but there's also a bit more freshness and lift. It's medium to full-bodied and densely concentrated yet silky and finessed, with a long, elegant finish.

James Suckling 98: Aromas of terra cotta, chocolate and hazelnut with iron and ink. Dusty. Full-bodied and round. Layered. Flamboyant and juicy. Rather soft and gorgeous. Some walnut and chocolate at the end. Persistent. Always there.

Vinous 97: The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is the best wine off Christian Moueix's Oakville ranch so far. Deep, creamy and generous, the 2018 captures the unqiue blend of fruit in a savoriness that is typical of the southern sector of Oakville where cooling winds from the south lend palpable freshness and vivacity to the vines. Black fruit, chocolate, spice, lavender and new leather are some of the many notes that build into the sumptuous finish.

2019

Vinous 95: The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a very pretty Oakville Cabernet. Bright acids and lifted aromatics meld into a core of dark red-fleshed fruit laced with attractive exotic overtones. A wine of linear intensity, the 2019 impresses with its persistence and overall drive.

Wine Spectator 93: A rich, slow-moving style, with waves of cassis, plum reduction and Black Forest cake laced with licorice root and espresso crema along the way. The finish delivers heavy glossy toast notes, which should be soaked up in due time. This should unwind nicely with cellaring. Best from 2024 through 2038.