Oakcross gives Groth’s Reserve blocks a different kind of stage. Oakville Cabernet remains the backbone, while Merlot and Petit Verdot broaden the wine into a more flexible expression of the estate. It’s a familiar Groth foundation, reworked into something distinctly its own. Groth handles Oakcross with the same precision it brings to its flagship wines. Cabernet is harvested at night, hand-sorted at the winery, then mechanically sorted before fermentation in small temperature-controlled tanks. Each lot remains separate through fermentation, giving the team the freedom to build the final blend only after seeing exactly what the vintage delivered.  The measured 2021 growing season gave Groth concentrated fruit without sacrificing balance. The final blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot went on to earn 95 points from Vinous. For a wine designed to show another side of Groth, the 2021 makes the point beautifully.