The Backus Vineyard—located on a hillside just east of the Silverado Trail in Oakville—yields a sturdier, more structured effort than the Insignia. It's a warm, low-altitude site but somehow suggests a mountain-ish pedigree. Tasted as a final blend, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a head-turning wine of prodigious depth that is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. Rock-solid cassis fruit leads the way, accented by hints of hickory smoke, mocha and dark chocolate, while remaining firm and toned on the palate. With its well-defined musculature, it's a bodybuilder but one that's not overly muscled, just taut, balanced and impressive, with a long, sculpted finish. This vintage includes all of the Bacchus fruit (usually one or two lots are declassified), yielding approximately 1,500 cases.

Located on Silverado Trail, across from Tench, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a superb example of its eastern Oakville site. Classic cassis and cigar box notes are joined by touches of vanilla, sage and bay leaf on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, structured and tannic, with a firm, dusty finish that lingers effortlessly. This year, the blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec, all (as usual) co-fermented and aged in 100% new French oak.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. Deep purple-black colored, it soars out of the glass with notes of plum preserves, baked black cherries and crème de cassis, plus nuances of pencil shavings, bouquet garni, crushed rocks and unsmoked cigars with a touch of cardamom. The palate is full-bodied and seductively rich, delivering mouth-coating black and blue fruit preserves with loads of exotic spice accents and a velvety texture, finishing long with a refreshing herbal lift. 2,900 cases were made.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing before it charges out of the glass with bold expressions of crème de cassis, boysenberries and black cherry preserves plus suggestions of cast-iron pan, violets, allspice and sandalwood with a touch of fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is absolutely packed with muscular black fruit preserves flavors, beautifully supported by finely grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing with loads of mineral and spice fireworks. 1,700 cases were made.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak and bottled in Jan 2019. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold blackberry pie, black currant pastilles and warm blueberries notes with touches of menthol, mocha, cardamom, iron ore and cinnamon stick plus a waft of black olives. The full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black and blue fruits with a vast array of earth and spicy sparks, framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. 2000 cases were made.