Thomas Bougetz has turned out a bevy of excellent, affordable (in the context of Napa Valley pricing) wines from a range of vineyard sources. – Wine Advocate

And yup – you guessed it. That’s AT FULL PRICE!

Jeb Dunnuck even put a previous vintage of this wine in his ‘TOP NAPA CABERNET SAUVIGNON UNDER $100’.

Today, it’s UNDER $30! Single vineyard mountain Cabernet, dripping with ripe black and blue fruits, rippling with muscular tension. At OVER TWO-THIRDS OFF, this isn’t simply affordable.

It’s a STEAL!

As an engineer for Boeing NASA, Bougetz and his wife, Joan, caught the wine bug while living in the pacific Northwest. He took a certificate course in winemaking and worked a couple of harvests in his spare time before beginning the search for a new career. And that took him to a Napa winery known as Crushpad.

“While Crushpad ultimately dissolved in 2012 their impact in the wine world lives on in a fairly influential way.” explains the Napa Wine Project. “During their time in business, they setup a number of their own clients with prominent vineyards throughout Napa Valley and beyond. We have met with numerous Napa Valley based vintners who got their start in wine making at Crushpad who continue to make wine on their own or now have their own brands.”

If you’re a fan of Faustini, they also got their start at Crushpad.

And as their VP of Engineering, Bougetz had the opportunity to learn from the who’s who of their up-and-coming clients. It also gave him access to some of the best vineyard sources in Napa.

Enter the Yates Family Vineyard. 25-acres planted, split between multiple steep blocks at the top of Mount Veeder. Mic back to the Napa Wine Project, “The vineyards are in a spectacular location, with most of the blocks very steeply planted ranging in elevation from 900 to about 1,300 feet. On a clear day, a drive to the ridge top above the vineyards reveals 3-bridges in the distance, the Golden Gate Bridge next to San Francisco, the Richmond Bridge and the Bay Bridge.”

This combination of altitude and volcanic soils help mitigate heat (important in 2022) and provide the Cabernet Sauvignon grown there with excellent structure and firm tannins. Meanwhile, its location above the fog line yields massive blackberry and blueberry flavors. Pouring an opaque purple, the wine coats the glass as the aromas grab you, pulling you into a rich tapestry of fruit, chocolate, mint, and espresso bean. The tannins are firm but suave, the body muscular but lithe. And the finish is satisfyingly long.

While he hasn’t yet rated this vintage, Dunnuck recommends of the previous release “I wouldn’t be surprised to see it improve with a year or two of bottle age. It should have a solid 10-12 years of overall longevity.”

Today, for LESS THAN $30… STEAL THIS WINE! Before someone else does!