Iridium is one of the rarest elements on earth. A very constrained and expensive resource, Iridium’s uniqueness makes it incredibly valuable. Like the element, the Sterling Vineyards Iridium Cabernet Sauvignon is treasured. Made in only the very best vintages with the finest and most intense expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Iridium is the pinnacle of winemaking perfection.

In 2016, winter rains helped signal the end of the immediate drought, but vineyards had grown stressed after multiple challenging years, resulting in modest yields for the season. A dry January was followed by a wet February, and temperatures remained mild, encouraging an early bud break to begin the growing season. Showers arrived in April, slowing the rapid advance of flowering and set. Early by historical standards, after harvest began picks moved at a leisurely pace as winemakers waited for ever more complex flavors to develop. The extended season helped balance acids and allowed layers of flavors to emerge.

Opulent, big, bold, and a candidate to stand proudly alongside Napa’s finest cult wines, Iridium shows rich dark chocolate, caramel toffee, and blackberries laced with oak spice, white pepper, and black cherry. Firm, well-integrated tannins and a solid acid backbone give way to a richly decadent mouthfeel with lingering notes of mocha, cassis, and classic Cabernet notes of graphite. Precious and rare, this is a wine that will continue to reveal itself over the next two decades.