Shibumi Knoll · St. Helena · 2023
2023 Shibumi Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena
A place on the list
A rocky, sub-acre St. Helena Cabernet site and a philosophy of effortless perfection, interpreted by Thomas Rivers Brown. LPB 96. 100% Cabernet. Grainy tannin on purpose. NET $87.10 in sixes.
Winery SRP $87 per bottle
One-case minimum unless a bulk break is shown at checkout. Partner price is the JS Selections offer, not a required resale price.
Why this bottle belongs on the list
Two selling points.
Then the market.
The knoll is the estate.
In 2003 Don and Joann bought a small knoll 3.5 miles north of St. Helena: a cottage, a guest house, and three-quarters of an acre of Cabernet planted in 1996 on Mill Creek alluvial fan, farmed by David Abreu's team. That is the entire estate Cabernet idea.
96 LPB. Mint, chocolate, pencil lead.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, March 2026: deep garnet-purple, minted blackberries, black cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice, pencil lead. Full-bodied, grainy tannins, just enough freshness, long savory finish. Pair with grilled lamb. Drink 2027–2044.
Professional scores
What the press wrote on this vintage.
Named critic scores on this vintage. These are press ratings, not the Wine-Searcher aggregate.
The buyer's perspective
What the guest
hears first.
Staff line: Shibumi estate Cabernet, Thomas Rivers Brown, 96 Wine Palate. Grainy tannin, mint, chocolate. Decant it. Pour it with lamb. NET $87.10 in sixes.
Winemaker's corner
Wine Spectator cover · Napa's Top Gun · Shibumi Knoll
Thomas
Rivers Brown
The knoll is Joann's house. The Cabernet is Brown's reading of a sub-acre rocky site — not a Napa blend for softness. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The tannin is grainy on purpose.
Don named the house Shibumi after Trevanian's novel: the pursuit of perfection through simplicity. That is still the language on the sell sheet.
LPB's window opens 2027. A 2026 placement still wants a decanter and a serious plate. 100 cases. Six-pack NET $87.10.
The knoll
St.
Helena Cabernet, not a blend for softness.
A two-acre parcel, a cottage, an oak, and a tiny Cabernet vineyard on rocky Mill Creek alluvium, a quarter mile from the Napa River, 0.3 miles off Highway 29.
The 2023 is 100% Cabernet. Organic farming, hand harvest, optical sorting, 14–16 days on skins, 20 months in 100% new French oak, unfined and unfiltered. 14.4% alcohol.
This is a meat wine. LPB's pairing is grilled lamb. The finish is long and savory, not sweet.
2023 in the glass
Mint.
Cassis.
Pencil lead.
Grain.
Deep garnet-purple. Minted blackberries, black cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice, pencil lead. Packed with mint-laced black fruit, framed by grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and savory. 14.4%. Decant. Drink 2027–2044.
Menu and service
Built for a serious table.
- Grilled lamb
- Ribeye
- Rosemary chops
Serve in a proper stem. Taste on opening and give the wine air if the structure asks for it.
Staff pairing clip
Michelin Lamb Shank at Home
The tableside introduction
“Shibumi estate Cabernet, Thomas Rivers Brown, 96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Mint, chocolate, grainy tannin. Pour it with lamb.”
Order the case
St.
Helena Cabernet from the knoll.
96 points. 100 cases. $87.10 NET.
One-case minimum unless a bulk break is shown at checkout. Partner price is the JS Selections offer, not a required resale price.
