Ampleur Cellars Hayne Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2023

Some partnerships are strategic. Others are inevitable. Ampleur began with two friends who understood their strengths — and trusted them. Morgan Maureze makes the wine. Andrew Wesson puts it in the right glasses. It’s that simple. But simplicity at this level is earned through decades of experience.

Morgan’s training reads like a study in the great wines of the last half-century: Dominus. Haut-Brion. Petrus. DRC. Screaming Eagle. Dalla Valle. Seven Apart. He spent fifteen vintages beside Andy Erickson before stepping out on his own. A career shaped by great vineyards, a top-tier mentor, and an insatiable drive to learn. Andrew, equally seasoned, knows how rare wines move. From Shafer to Gamble, he’s spent decades funneling wines from distribution floors to private cellars. Together, they built Ampleur, which means ‘magnitude’ in French. And if you’re going to name a brand after magnitude, you’d better choose a vineyard that delivers it.

Hayne Vineyard has remained rooted in St. Helena since the 1870s. Old vines grow deep in gravelly loam at the base of the Mayacamas — a site that has supplied fruit to some of Napa’s most revered bottlings. It’s not a flashy vineyard. Rather, it’s a foundational one. Ampluer’s 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon carries that legacy with confidence.

The aromatics are generous with notes of blackberry compote, black plum, and cassis layered with cedar, crushed cocoa nib, and a fine thread of tobacco leaf. On the palate, the wine is broad but controlled. The dark fruit is wrapped in luxurious texture, yet it never tips into excess. The tannins are firm and architectural, framing the wine without drying it out. Balanced acidity keeps the fruit lifted, while oak brings notes of vanilla bean and warm spice that feel integrated rather than imposed.