2019

Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot Vintage production: 1,471 cases Cliff Lede's Poetry Vineyard sits in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains in Napa's Stags... Leap District AVA, and this iconic cuvée has been described by Robert Parker as "The quintessential Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon that is Napa Valley’s version of Château Margaux." Having averaged a breath-taking 99 points with Dunnuck and The Wine Advocate since head winemaker Christopher Tynan joined in 2012, it more than deserves this comparison. Poetry draws its uniqueness from shallow, volcanic soils atop fractured shale. Due to the stressful nature of the site, planted with high vine density and farmed to very low yields, the vines develop slowly and produce small flavourful berries. The vineyard is planted to legendary, proprietary heritage selections of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2019 stands as one of the finest vintages to date with a perfect 100 points from Lisa Perrotti-Brown (TWA) who describes it as "Finishing epically long and staggeringly gorgeous. WOW!"

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage production: 136 cases Unwritten is a true insider's secret, known only to those with an inside track, this gorgeous Cabernet is a unique marriage of Oakville... and Howell Mountain 'Grand Cru' Vineyards. The inaugural 2014 vintage was an instant sell-out, taking pride of place on the lists of two Napa culinary institutions: The French Laundry, and Press. It has since become one of the hottest tickets in Napa. The fruit for this remarkable Cabernet comes from the historic Lewelling Vineyard in the western foothills of Napa's famed Saint Helena AVA, a stones throw from the Beckstoffer Dr Crane, Spottswoode and Abreu Madrona Ranch vineyards - the A-list neighbourhood. This is a Cabernet that ticks all the boxes: perfect bottle age from an epic vintage, drinking beautifully now, rare as hen's teeth, poured at one of the greatest 3* restaurants in the world. Four Corners Wine: "This 100& Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautifully structured and more savoury expression of the flamboyant 2019 vintage. The nose is full of inviting aromas of fresh bay leaves, a hint of star anise, lovely dark berries, framed by a lifted floral note of Spring flowers. There's a fantastic richness on the palate which is wonderfully fresh and energetic. It's the depth and structure of the tannins that really shines here, promising a brilliant evolution. The intense fruit of Oakville is married perfectly to the minerality and vibrancy of Howell Mountain."

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Production: 100 cases Every aspect of Vangone Estate is about adventure, discovery and exclusivity. From the precarious drive up through hidden backroads, to the... breathtaking view that awaits you when you arrive, to the luxurious micro-production Cabernet Sauvignons produced here, Vangone is the ultimate insider's secret. Stylistically, Vangone is a phenomenal expression of Cabernet Sauvignon: rich and hedonistic, while refined and textured in equal measure. Proprietor Mark Davidowski and winemaker Sam Kaplan (Arkenstone Estate, Maxem, Momento Mori) produce a unique trio of wines: c.100 cases each of two individual vineyard parcels, Block B and Block D, as well as masterfully combining them into the Estate Cabernet (c.250 cases).  Block D faces Atlas Peak to the east, on an incredibly steep part of the vineyard. This Cabernet is characteristic for its fruit-driven nose and incredibly powerful, structured core.