A wise man once said all good things must come to an end…

And so does Bordigioni’s Annadel Estate.

Fear not, THE DEAN is just fine. In fact, he’s more than fine, living the dream in Hawaii, sailing into many a sunset with his family. It’s good to be Dean Bordigioni these days. It always has been so actually.

However, with his exit from the industry, that means his wine is in short supply and will soon be a distant memory. Just last month when we blew through the last of his Zinfandel, we wrote: “this is a perennial favorite around here, but sadly with Dean moving on from the wine business, there’s a limited runway.”

Alas, we reach the end of that runway today. Just before Dean flew one way to Kona, we had begged for the keys to his antique motorcycle collection. Instead, he gave us all his remaining inventory! Not a bad consolation prize. Hundreds of bottles of glorious juice, that he asked we drink, and share with YOU.

So here we go, first Cab, then Franc, then Merlot. These extraordinary 2016s are his very last wines at prices that will make you blush, as if you are doing something wrong, and we will roll onto the next one as they sell out.

And how do we know they will sell out? They always have. This is the way. The Bordigionian way.

The opposite of WIMPY, these are for true hedonists and thrill-seekers out there. Or anyone who likes hard-charging, full-throttle, drop-a-gear, and push-it-to-the-limit type reds. He always brought this hard-charging, life-in-the-fast-lane take to winemaking, and that’s on full display here.

Sensational notes of blackberry coulis, crème de cassis, graphite, licorice, and scorched earth are to be found on the nose. It’s full-bodied alright, yet with incredible purity, and a building sense of minerality on the finish. Both powerful and giving, it’s simply impossible to resist.

Oh, this Cab, being his favorite, is named after Dean’s son Vincent “Coltrane” Bordigioni. Dean somehow persuaded the doctor to blast A Love Supreme by John Coltrane at his birth. Now ain’t that badass!

Don’t fret when this is gone, the Franc is next.