United States · California

Plumpjack

Plumpjack Winery was established in 1995 in Oakville, Napa Valley, by Gavin Newsom (later California governor) and Gordon Getty's investment firm, with early winemaking direction from Tony Soter. The estate centers on 42 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon on the Oakville Bench adjacent to Opus One, Groth, and Robert Mondavi, producing wines from one of Napa's most historically celebrated AVAs. Plumpjack attracted widespread attention in 2000 for a controversial experiment: releasing the same wine simultaneously in cork-closed and screwcap-sealed bottles, with a later vertical confirming superior evolution under screwcap — a finding that influenced discussions on closure technology across the industry. The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship: averaging $223 per bottle across 138 auction lots with the 2013 vintage most frequently traded and prices reaching $1,353. The Estate Cabernet (non-reserve) averages $177 across 69 lots. The Reserve consistently earns critical scores of 93–97 points, with the best vintages — 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018 — achieving Parker ratings of 95+. At auction, 290 total lots average $195 per bottle. Plumpjack also produces Syrah from a separate Carneros Estate (averaging $86 across 14 lots) under the CADE and Odette labels, though the Reserve Cab remains the sole auction focus for serious collectors.