California Cabernet Sauvignon is at an all-time high when it comes to being authentic.

Today’s top producers have delivered wines that are more refined and expressive of their place than ever. Gone are the days of the full-throttle, over-extracted bruisers. What’s taken their place is wines of restraint with a sense of place, balance and purpose.

At Gamble Family Vineyards, Tom Gamble has made it his mission to ensure what’s in the bottle is unmistakably his. From farming the land himself to overseeing every cellar move, his imprint is literal.

With rising fears around wine fraud, Gamble partnered with Crane Authentication, known for securing global currencies and premium spirits, to launch one of the industry’s most advanced anti-counterfeiting systems. Each bottle now features a holographic strip, embossed glass and an unremovable QR code that links to a unique verification portal.

“If it says Gamble on the outside,” he said. “I want to make sure it’s Gamble on the inside.”

Behind the technology is a vineyard-first philosophy. Gamble’s new 2022 Cabernet releases from Rutherford where signature “Rutherford Dust” is there, but there’s so much more going on as a blackberry and black currant fruit profile is complimented by a mint, graphite and ever so subtle touch of tobacco on the finish. It’s a showcase for mouthfeel with a plush feel and well integrated tannins.

The Oakville ($225) is an intense mix of red, blue and black fruits: cassis, blueberry and blackberry. The firm tannic structure wraps everything up in classic Napa Valley style. The Mount Veeder bottling is a showcase for the diversity and finesse of modern Napa: plush textures, signature site character and restrained elegance.

Lastly, from Mount Veeder ($200) comes the most feral of the offerings as there’s wild mountain scrub and the essence of dried wild flowers on the nose. The black cherry and crushed stone flavors are enhanced by the wild mountain aromatics. There’s a touch of fresh cut herbs and a savory note on a lengthy finish. It’s a wine with enormous, and incredibly intriguing, aging potential.

At Jordan Winery in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley, winemaker Maggie Kruse has crafted just two wines per year, including a bright, ocean-cooled 2021 Cabernet ($60) that pops with black cherry, wild fennel and hillside minerality.

Her goal is to “aim for finesse, not flash,” and the results speak to a wine that over delivers at its price point.

It’s fitting that Charles Krug’s Generations 2019 ($85) Bordeaux blend has straddled the imaginary Old and New World style lines. Napa Valley’s oldest continually operated family winery has an expressive fruit and floral spice but has balanced the power with which Napa Valley can deliver with Bordeaux’s grace.

“Old World Bordeaux brings more spicy, herbal aromatics, a little more dried potpourri character and subtler tannins,” co-proprietor Peter Mondavi Jr, said. “Generations is a gorgeous blend of those two styles.”

At Moone-Tsai, the same rules by which real estate agents follow apply.

“Location, location, location… and the people,” said co-owner Larry Tsai.

That’s why they’ve entrusted their vision to Philippe Melka, a renowned winemaker and self-described “time traveler.”

Melka’s ability to foresee a wine’s arc has defined Moone-Tsai’s best bottles, including the 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet, which soars with black fruit, cedar and loamy earth.

Dowdell’s 2015 Napa Valley Cabernet ($90) rounds out this all-star cast with a bold yet balanced profile: blackberry, graphite and gravelly tannins with a long, resonant finish.

Across California, Cabernet has evolved. The brute strength 100-point score chasers have been replaced by wines layered with depth, provenance and precision.

It’s a happy trend that legacy, site and vision matter more than ever. Whether it’s a $60 Sonoma bottling or a $225 Oakville standout, the best examples don’t just taste like California; they feel like it, too.