“Consider getting on the mailing list before it is too late.” – Wine Advocate

Which is exactly how we opened for their sellout Chenin Blanc, our first L’Envolée. It vanished in hours.

That same day we made a promise that we’d find some L’Envolée Cabernet Sauvignon - a wine we knew all too well. They are, quite simply, off the charts. Something Jeb Dunnuck confirmed in his 95+ review saying, “This will be a giant killer.”

That took us like 6 months, but WE DID IT.

No small feat, considering the pedigree and background of these folks. Caitlin and Quentin Lhommeau started L’Envolée with the intention of making great wine. And that they do! Both have full-time jobs with Julien Fayard Consulting, Bevan Consulting, and Atelier Melka. So, they play with Napa’s crème de la crème on a daily basis. This 2023 Cab, from a vintage that resulted in a perfect harvest in Napa, drinks like wines that sell for A LOT more - silky, sexy, and oh so opulent.

Imagine being Russell Bevan’s right hand at Tench Vineyards and having him take you to dinner. When he tells you to start your own wine brand, you would say, “Yes, Sir!” And we are glad Caitlin did! With a husband from the Loire Valley who works for the Fayard team, they took the leap in 2018. Their style is beautifully influenced by the purity of top Frenchies along with their aforementioned master teachers. And the aptly named label after “taking flight” symbolizes their rise to the top of the Napa winemaking scene. They’re SOARING now!

Wine Advocate was one of the first to discover them: “L’Envolée is the label of Caitlin and Quentin Lhommeau, a husband-and-wife winemaking team. She works at Tench alongside Russell Bevan and Mike Smith; his day job is with Julien Fayard. Caitlin and Quentin met while working harvest in New Zealand but have been working in Napa for the past five years. This is an exciting new project for the duo, starting their own brand. Caitlin was present at Tench Winery when I met Mike Smith there and presented the wines then. Given the tiny quantities produced and the realistic pricing, readers should consider getting on the mailing list before it is too late.”

Or simply keep watching Wine Spies very carefully, every day! Oh, and don’t let the “Napa Valley” label fool you, this is Oakville juice every vintage… from a humbly kept secret vineyard that this power couple has access to. Hint, hint.

If only there was more of this one…

95+ Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Deeper hued than the 2022, the deep purple-colored 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley offers a gorgeous perfume of darker cassis and ripe blue fruits intermixed with savory herbs, chocolate, and a Pauillac-like sense of graphite. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a supple, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This will be a giant killer.”