“A fashionable and elegant showing with plenty of Atlas Peak tannin muscle to carry the day.” – Decanter

Hesperian?

Most of us had not heard of this producer. But after tasting this, consider us schooled on this single-vineyard, mountain-bred, 94-point, high end Napa Cab.

Which dropped for $175 on release…you saw our price, right?

So, does it live up to the grand release price? In a word, yes. This one-man show from high atop Atlas Peak shares many similarities with its ‘cultsy’ neighbor names. Many of which Napa fans are quite familiar with - here’s a comprehensive roster for some ideas.

From a Rothschild Château to Rutherford’s Sullivan, to Atlas Peak, the journey was a fascinating one for Philippe, one of Agent Noir’s oldest and best friends around.

San Francisco Examiner has the background, “Philippe Langner is a true vigneron. He is the owner, sole viticulturist, and winemaker for Hesperian Wines, controlling all aspects in the production of his highly reviewed Cabernet Sauvignon releases, from bud break to bottle. The primary source of his fruit comes from the picturesque 14-acre Kitoko Vineyard spread across slopes outside the large windows in his new home. Philippe has chosen this remote, serene place high up on Atlas Peak to live and follow his life’s quest. Born in El Salvador, raised in Colombia and the former Zaire in Africa, Philippe has a passion for plants and soil that began at an early age. Pursuit of a career in agriculture led him to U.C. Davis, where he was introduced to Napa Valley. After college, he spent 5 years working at Château Clarke in Bordeaux before opportunities and the warm climate pulled him back to Napa.”

The style is evidently in alignment with Langner’s Bordeaux sensibilities, with the signature high elevation Napa intensity. It’s evolving nicely, delivering classic mountain-fruit lifted by aromas of sage and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, silky, fine, and elegant, with an ample finish, mature now, but will easily hold for a decade plus.

According to Forbes, “Unlike many other winemakers, he insists on letting his wines hold in the bottle one to two years longer to be sure that upon release, the tannins have softened just enough. That patience has been nicely rewarded with critical praise and a passionate consumer fan base.” They add, “Kitoko Vineyard is winemaker Philippe Langner’s homage to beauty (Kitoko is the Congolese Lingala word for ‘beautiful’), a bombshell of a Napa Cab, one to buy now for drinking later, perhaps much later, like on your 10th anniversary.”

One last quote, back to the San Francisco Examiner: “The Hesperian name relates to the West, but this story is about one man’s passion for perfection and a desire to influence each phase of the process in setting a standard for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.”

And that, he has.

Lock down this library-plucked, $175 Cab for a cool $116 off that price today, while you can!

94 Points – The Wine Independent “Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Kitoko offers profound crème de cassis, preserved plums, and blueberry compote notes with suggestions of licorice, dark chocolate, mint, and truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate is light on its feet, with bright, elegant black berry and earthy layers supported by rounded tannins, finishing with a refreshing lift. Drink 2023-2038.”

93 Points – Wine Advocate “From 1400 feet above sea level on Atlas Peak, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Kitoko Vineyard offers up hints of mint and sage over a backdrop of cassis and blueberries. A terrific example of this AVA, it’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and refined, with a supple finish and a dusting of soft tannins. Drink 2025-2040.”

93 Points – James Suckling “Inviting aromas of blackcurrants, redcurrants, blackberries and ground spice. Full-bodied with silky tannins. There’s a pleasant crushed-stone character to the black-fruited palate. Licorice and suede come through. A little background note of pepper, too. Layered and balanced. Drink or hold.”