Do you like being on the bleeding edge of discovering undervalued gems? You know, snagging Amazon stock in 2002 for $10, or holding onto that old 1976 Porsche 912 that your dad owned? Then you need to have this! Powerful, rock steady Reserve Mountain Cabernet made by an incredibly talented world-class winemaker, for …get this… under $40!!

Today’s special find was made by Timothy Milos, former winemaker for the $300 Cab producer, the lovechild of Robert Mondavi, the one, the only, the opulent Opus One Winery… as well as Baron Philippe de Rothschild.

Today, Timothy focuses his efforts on smaller boutique wine producers. He is a consulting winemaker at a handful of such wineries in Napa and Sonoma.

The Arroyo family came from Chile to create a life in Sonoma. They brought on Milos, the lowkey superstar winemaker (Immortal Estate, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Opus One, Wayfarer, Haber to name a few) in a stroke of genius and the rest is history.

Their vineyards stretches above 1,000 feet on rugged hillsides in the Mayacamas Mountains of Sonoma. They’re actually just a mile away from Napa’s Spring Mountain District, Pride Mountain is right up the road. And that’s a good thing for you - because it means they don’t carry the same high prices as their neighbors a stone’s throw away, delivering the same cachet at the most approachable of prices.

These wines remind us of the rugged, age-worthy Mayacamas Vineyards classics. Pure, balanced, terroir-driven mountain Cab at its best. Not an overripe, uber extracted monster. This has all the right inflection points of earth, mineral, spice and vivid red and black fruit goodness carried in proper balance. A sight to behold, as dense and deep as a garnet fused in the mantle of the Earth. A delight to inhale as well, as perfumed notes of cherry compote, wild blackberry, star anise pod, and black tea leap from the glass. Take a sip and buckle in.

Blackberry jam, black cherry, and black currants, along with a dusting of cocoa powder, and gravelly minerality all frame together in a deep, polished mouthfeel. Unmistakable terroir on full display here. The dusty cacao, ripe cherry, lingonberry notes meld seamlessly with a solid oak profile. From start to finish this Cab hangs on and doesn’t let go with excellent structure providing a most suitable scaffold for the fruit and phenolics. Bravo! This well made Cabernet is a classic. Mix it up with a foraged mushroom arborio and forbidden rice risotto with tarragon.

Anyone who loves big, powerful Cabernet needs to experience this. It’s drinking beautifully now but will easily last another ten years. And the price seems absurdly low for the quality. We have zero doubt it would fetch 2-3x more if it were made just a stone’s throw away, on the other side of the Mayacamas. Yet the wrong side has never felt so right!

Small production means small opportunity! Get to it quick!