he-li-an-thus

he-li-an-thus is a single vineyard wine crafted by Jason Exposto and Jessica Futo, daughter of Tom Futo. Crafted in the FUTO Estate winery, it is one of Napa’s most exciting insider’s secrets. The Red boasts the most glorious aromatics of any wine in Napa, and ultra-rare Sauvignon Blanc is in a league of its own.

  • Region: Napa Valley
  • Winery Location: Oakville
  • Owner: Jessica Futo and Jason Exposto
  • First Vintage: 2013
  • Winemaker: Jason Exposto

Story

Founded by Jessica Futo and winemaker Jason Exposto, 2013 was the first vintage of this incredible Cabernet-blend from a prized single-vineyard at the foot of Atlas Peak (southeast Napa), Together they manage every aspect of the process, from implementing sustainable farming practises to hand crafting each vintage at the state-of-the-art Futo winery in Oakville.

Vineyards

Located in Soda Canyon, Ed and Jan Brown’s Red Head Vineyard in the foothills of Atlas Peak foothills displays all of the virtues of distinction – exposition, exposure, climate, and complexity of soil. On extremely rocky volcanic soils, at an elevation of 300ft at the southern end of the valley, the site experiences huge diurnal shifts in temperature, with very cool foggy mornings. But with a southwestern exposition, it is bathed in sunshine long into the evening. The resulting wine is singular in its three dimensional aromatics, and concentrated yet ethereal frame.

To capture the essence of the site, we believe that the vines and soil must receive lavish care and attention. Meticulous pruning, precise canopy work, use of compost tea preparations, and low yields are all practiced in tune with the rhythm of the growing season.

Winemaking

At harvest, the fruit is picked over numerous passes based on physiological ripeness, regardless of variety. The composition of each individual co-fermentation is not predetermined and varies dependent on vintage character.

In the cellar, the fruit is sorted and fermented in small lots using native yeast. Each lot is barreled down into custom large format tight grained oak, as well as clay/ceramic vessels. Then aged on lees (with no racking), before being blended and bottled with no fining or filtration.

Latest arrivals from he-li-an-thus

2016 he-li-an-thus, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 6x75cl

JD96JS96
Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc Vintage production: 255 cases Vintner Tom Futo and his winemaker Jason Exposto have a nose for 'Grand Cru' terroir,... with FUTO's Oakville Estate and 5500 Stags Leap District Estate Vineyards renowned for producing stunning Cabernet-blends. There is a third site, the Red Head Vineyard, dedicated to their rarest label, He-li-an-thus. This miniscule production is reserved for the winery's mailing list, making it the hardest of Tom and Jason's wines to find. The reward is more than worth it! It bears all the hallmarks of FUTO - elegance, purity, intensity and finesse. It stands apart for its expression of the rocky, cooler-climate site in Soda Canyon at the base of Atlas Peak, boasting some of the most alluring aromatics we've ever experienced. In the winery, Jason uses a combination of custom-made large oak barrels and clay amphorae.
£840 / Case£140 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,027.22 / Case, £171.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days

2016 he-li-an-thus, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 1x75cl

JD96JS96
Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc Vintage production: 255 cases Vintner Tom Futo and his winemaker Jason Exposto have a nose for 'Grand Cru' terroir,... with FUTO's Oakville Estate and 5500 Stags Leap District Estate Vineyards renowned for producing stunning Cabernet-blends. There is a third site, the Red Head Vineyard, dedicated to their rarest label, He-li-an-thus. This miniscule production is reserved for the winery's mailing list, making it the hardest of Tom and Jason's wines to find. The reward is more than worth it! It bears all the hallmarks of FUTO - elegance, purity, intensity and finesse. It stands apart for its expression of the rocky, cooler-climate site in Soda Canyon at the base of Atlas Peak, boasting some of the most alluring aromatics we've ever experienced. In the winery, Jason uses a combination of custom-made large oak barrels and clay amphorae.
£140 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £171.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days

2020 he-li-an-thus, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 1x75cl

Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc Vintage production: 163 cases Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most exciting grape varieties in Napa, and at the top end it’s up there with the best white wines in the... World. One of the rarest examples is the he-li-an-thus Sauvignon Blanc. The source of the fruit is a 22 year old hillside vineyard shrouded in secrecy, but we do know the winemaker is a modern day Napa genius: Jason Exposto from FUTO Estate. Jason specifically chose this cool, north facing vineyard as the dry-farmed vines have the perfect synergy of natural richness and crystalline acidity he looks for in a great Sauvignon Blanc. Jason Exposto, Winemaker: "Sourced from a cool pocket of the vineyard and picked over numerous passes. We basket press the whole clusters and run the cool juice to seasoned French oak barrels, where the native yeast ferments the wines to dryness. We age for several months on lees before bottling unfined and unfiltered. Mouthwatering flavour of meyer lemon, jasmine and stone fruit and wrapped together with a flinty acidity."
£61 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £77.02 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days

2016 he-li-an-thus, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 1x150cl

JD96JS96
Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc Vintage production: 255 cases Vintner Tom Futo and his winemaker Jason Exposto have a nose for 'Grand Cru' terroir,... with FUTO's Oakville Estate and 5500 Stags Leap District Estate Vineyards renowned for producing stunning Cabernet-blends. There is a third site, the Red Head Vineyard, dedicated to their rarest label, He-li-an-thus. This miniscule production is reserved for the winery's mailing list, making it the hardest of Tom and Jason's wines to find. The reward is more than worth it! It bears all the hallmarks of FUTO - elegance, purity, intensity and finesse. It stands apart for its expression of the rocky, cooler-climate site in Soda Canyon at the base of Atlas Peak, boasting some of the most alluring aromatics we've ever experienced. In the winery, Jason uses a combination of custom-made large oak barrels and clay amphorae.
£280 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £342.41 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days