Sometimes the website doesn’t tell the whole story. But as Spies, it’s our job to know.

This wine is not quite under NDA, but it has hidden secrets. Crafted by not one, but two master winemakers, Russell Bevan and Maayan Koschitzky. From a heritage vineyard in Saint Helena so good that Beckstoffer added part of it to his portfolio.

And today? SLASH THE $200 PRICE IN HALF and then SHAVE OFF A LITTLE MORE to save yourself OVER $120!!!

You may remember Taub Family Vineyards from their Beckstoffer Georges III and Misouri Hopper single block offerings. We certainly do. So, when they approached us with this deal, we were intrigued. But then we did some digging and found two secrets about the wine that you won’t find on the tech sheet.

Secrets that add up to a CAN’T MISS OPPORTUNITY!

The first was the site. The isn’t just any Saint Helena Cabernet. The Hayne Vineyard is one of the great heritage vineyards in Napa Valley. Founded in 1857, it is still family owned. It’s highly prized by Turley, Nickel & Nickel, Corison, Adversity Cellars, along with the family’s own Chase Cellars. This site is so unique and characterful that it lead Andy Beckstoffer to buy 13 acres off the family, renaming his portion Born Vineyard.

Compare today’s price with the premium charged by Cabernet’s from the Beckstoffer vines – Kata - $200, Carter - $225, Realm - $300, B Cellars - $325… and you’ll see why today’s price is so unbelievable!

Beyond the terroir, this wine had not one, but two of the top, top, tippy-top names in Napa with hands in the winemaking!

The harvest and fermentation were overseen by none other than Russell Bevan, creator of more 97-100 point wines that one can possibly count. His reputation is well earned. Wine Advocate reminds us that “Bevan makes full-throttle, ultra-ripe Napa Valley Cabernets and blends that reflect their maker’s personality. Big, expansive and never shy, these are wines that represent a different side of Napa than more classical, restrained Cabernets, but they have earned their place as part of the Valley’s culture for their exuberance and bold, hedonistic flavors” And this wine? Big, bold, and hedonistic!

In 2023 the winery brought in Maayan Koschitzky. Former paratrooper. Black belt in judo. First Napa job rhymes with Dreaming Beagle. Then Dalla Valle. Then Director of Winemaking at Atelier Melka. In that role and through his own work he has his hands in too many of the cult wines of Napa to count, including Dana Estates, Lail, Fairest Creatures, and many more! Taking over for Bevan, he oversaw the blending and bottling, imbuing the wine with his tell-tale precision and elegance.

Proprietor Marc Taub is the fourth generation of his family in the wine business, but the first to start a winery in Napa. He has quickly earned his place in the valley in a little over a decade, locking in contracts with some of the elite properties in Napa, including many of Beckstoffer’s. But this special bottling of Saint Helena, produced in very limited quantity, is something else – a standout among standouts.

When we tasted as a team, a hushed silence fell over the room. As rich, purple, and velvety as something Prince would wear. A good decanting reveals luscious blackberry, vanilla, pie spice, and sweet tobacco aromas that carry through seamlessly to an expansive, supple palate. The finish is long and lush, balancing hedonism and finely-detailed textures in endless waves of deliciousness.

Pour a glass of this midnight-black ambrosia, and you’ll understand. You just can’t find a wine of this richness, heritage, and pedigree for less than $100, except occasionally at Wine Spies, of course.

But EVEN HERE, for UNDER $80?!

It just doesn’t happen often. STOCK UP!