Lithology Estate
Named for the study of rocks, Lithology Estate crafts wines from select growing appellations within the Valley, carefully choosing from the patchwork of microclimates and terroirs.
Crafted with unsurpassed skill by celebrated winemaker Philippe Melka and blended together with master enologist Michel Rolland, our wines are as unique and delightful as Napa Valley itself.
Experience a tour of the Lithology Estate Vineyard and taste the available Lithology Wines.
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96 POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck
94 POINTS -The Wine Advocate
94 POINTS -Vinous
"From a rocky vineyard just west of Dr. Crane, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is a beautiful, elegant, mineral-laced wine that offers full-bodied richness and depth as well as outstanding length. Complex notes of red and black currants, dried flowers, crushed rocks, and flowery incense dominate the bouquet. It's an incredibly sumptuous, satisfying Cabernet that has both complexity and richness. 67 cases made." - Jeb Dunnuck
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100 POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck 97 POINTS -Antonio Galloni "Pure perfection in Cabernet, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni is all varietal and comes two-thirds from Oakville with the balance from sites in St. Helena and Rutherford. Aged 20 months in 70% new French oak and put together by Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, it has an incredibly pure, full-bodied, massive yet weightless style that I suspect couldn’t be achieved anywhere outside of Napa Valley. Cassis, blackberries, leafy herbs, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco leaf are just some of the nuances here, and it’s full-bodied, deep, and concentrated on the palate while maintaining an ethereal, seamless, utterly perfect balance between its fruit, alcohol, tannins, and acidity. As good as it gets, it needs just 2-4 years in the cellar and will evolve gracefully for at least 20-25 years." - Jeb Dunnuck
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98 POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck
97 POINTS -The Wine Advocate
96 POINTS -Vinous
"The flagship is the 2017 Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. The wine spent 21 months in 77% new French oak barrels. Crème de cassis, toasted bread, graphite, chocolate, incense, and tobacco notes emerge from this stunner, which offers full-bodied richness and power paired with a weightless, elegant texture, rocking tannins, and a finish that won't quit. The tannin quality here is brilliant, as is the balance, and it's certainly one of the gems in the vintage. 95 cases made." - Jeb Dunnuck
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99 POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck
98 POINTS - Vinous
99 POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck
"The top wine of the estate is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, all Cabernet aged 22 months in 65% new barrels. Flirting with perfection, it’s a magical wine that offers a seamless, full-bodied, structured style as well as heavenly notes of crème de cassis and black raspberry fruit. With subtle background oak, complex floral and graphite nuances, ultra-fine tannins, and thrilling concentration, this quintessential Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will be better with short-term cellaring and cruise for 2+ decades in cooler cellars." - 1/31/2019
98 POINTS - Vinous
"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni is a selection of the best barrels in the cellar. Dense, powerful, and explosive, the 2016 is endowed with tremendous depth. Crème de cassis, plum, new leather, licorice, dark chocolate, and sweet spice build as this dramatic, full-throttle Cabernet shows off its unctuous, bold personality. The 2016 is a real head-turner." - Dec 2018
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98 POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck 96 POINTS -Antonio Galloni "The 2019 Cabernet Franc Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard just shines for its bouquet, which is classic To Kalon with its floral, incense, spicy, red and black-fruited aromatics. These all flow to a medium to full-bodied, utterly seamless Cabernet Franc that’s balanced, has laser-like precision, and a great finish. This isn’t the biggest or richest wine in the lineup, but it’s Cabernet Franc in all its glory, with soaring aromatics and complexity, ample richness and texture, and a beautiful sense of finesse and elegance. It’s going to keep for 15-20 years with no issues." - Jeb Dunnuck
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97+ POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck 96 POINTS -Antonio Galloni
"Also a classic expression of its terroir, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard boasts a ripe, opulent, powerful style as well as notes of darker currants, tobacco, lead pencil, chocolate, and gravelly earth. I always find a Graves-like richness as well as a sense of earth from this site, and this beauty has it all in spades. Full-bodied, ripe, and polished on the palate, it stays relatively compact and will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age." - Jeb Dunnuck
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93 POINTS - Jeb Dunnuck 92 POINTS - Antonio Galloni "The appellation 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Napa Valley is a rock-solid, unquestionably outstanding Cabernet that’s worth seeking out. Giving up lots of red and black fruits, notes of leather, loamy earth, and dried herbs, medium to full body, and beautiful balance on the palate, drink it over the coming 10-15 years. The blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, aged 22 months in 61% new French oak." -Jeb Dunnuck
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