Napa Valley · United States
2022 Memento Mori Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Flagship
Memento Mori's Flagship 2022 opens its cellar door this year - built for the patient collector despite a challenging vintage.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Region
- Napa Valley
- Vintage
- 2022
Drinking Window
In 2026: Approaching PeakDrinkable, but best years are ahead. Peak begins 2030.
Tasting Note
Memento Mori's 2022 Flagship is a layered, ambitious Napa Cabernet with serious depth. Ripe Damson plum, blackberry preserves, dried violets, cocoa powder, and sandalwood lead the nose, followed by wet stone and toffee. On the palate, black currant, kirsch, black raspberry, graphite, espresso, and spiced vanilla arrive in waves, supported by powerful minerality and a firm, high-acid backbone. The wine is concentrated, structured, and built for the long haul - the kind of Napa Cabernet that rewards serious cellaring over early drinking.
About Memento Mori
Memento Mori is a modern Napa success story, founded by three friends who partnered with a top winemaking team and quickly accumulated multiple 100-point scores. With prime vineyard sources and micro-production, its Cabernet has become a poster child for the new generation of cult Napa labels. The Flagship represents the pinnacle of the lineup, drawing on the best lots from the program's top sources for maximum concentration, structure, and aging potential.
Food Pairings
Wagyu beef with black truffle
The wine's intensity, graphite, espresso, and dark fruit demand the richest possible pairing - Wagyu's fat content and truffle depth are equal partners.
Braised oxtail with dried mushrooms and red wine reduction
The slow-cooked richness and umami depth of oxtail match the wine's layered concentration, while the mushroom notes echo the cocoa and earthy minerality.
Aged comté with dark chocolate
The wine's cocoa powder and blackberry preserves character bridges the sharp, crystalline quality of aged comté, and dark chocolate extends the wine's finish naturally.
Service & Cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 62-65F (17-18C)
- Decanting
- Decant 2 hours minimum if opening in 2026. The wine is in its earliest drinkable phase - hold until 2028-2030 for significantly better expression. Peak drinking runs from 2030 through 2042.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.
Frequently Asked
Is the 2022 vintage a good year for Napa Cabernet?
Wine Spectator rated 2022 Napa Cabernet 84 points (Good), citing a Labor Day heat event as a significant challenge. Many wines from this vintage are more approachable than structural. Memento Mori's Flagship is an exception - carefully sourced and harvested, it shows genuine aging architecture that sets it apart from the vintage generalization.
What makes Memento Mori a cult Napa label?
Memento Mori built its reputation quickly through top winemaking talent, carefully selected Napa sources, micro-production, and multiple 100-point scores. The combination of scarcity, critical acclaim, and collector demand has made it one of the harder-to-find bottles in the new generation of Napa Cabernet.
When is the right time to open this bottle?
The drinking window opened in 2026, but peak expression runs from 2030 through 2042. If you open it now, commit to two hours of decanting. The wine will show better in 2028 and best from 2030 onward.
How does the Flagship differ from Memento Mori's other bottlings?
The Flagship is the top tier of the Memento Mori lineup, drawing on the program's most concentrated lots for maximum structure and aging potential. It prioritizes cellar-worthiness over early accessibility.
Track this bottle
Track this Memento Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Flagship in Cellared.
See its drinking window, peak years, and what to pair it with alongside the rest of your cellar. Free to start on iOS.
Download on the App Store