Must be your lucky evening!

If you’re here for that Zin it’s gonzo, but our count was off earlier, and we found just a few more boxes of the first wine. From the legendary Morisoli Vineyard, Elyse’s flagship Cabernet. At $85, it’s a solid value for the pedigree. At $62 from us? An utter must-have… if you love powerful single-vineyard Rutherford Cabernet.

Robert Parker described a previous vintage of this as an “impressively concentrated, aromatic wine, multidimensional, dense and rich, one of the finest wines I have tasted from Elyse.”

That description holds true for this 2016, too. Fair warning though - we only have a VERY small amount. Once it’s gone, we’ll serve up the second one… stay tuned for that, and read quickly before this one vanishes.

Elyse is an absolute gem, a popular spot for those “in the know” and worth a visit if you are in town. It was founded by Ray Coursen, who headed up winemaking at Whitehall Lane before starting the winery which is named after his daughter. He worked closely with winemaker Mike Trotta to create truly compelling wines and was quoted as saying his winemaking goal is “…getting absolutely ‘stoned’ by something. Something that floors you, like a great meal, a classic piece of art, or a great glass of wine. It has nothing to do with the buzz. It’s not about the alcohol, but a mind-blowing experience.”

Floored, stoned, mesmerized - whatever you want to call it, he nailed it here. Yet the vineyards Elyse has access to are so special that in 2018 the ubiquitous Russel Bevan took over the winemaking here! Fruit comes from the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford. Planted in 1880 (!!) it’s easily one of the most treasured on the valley floor, powers many $100-200+ wines across a who’s who of elite producers. Its immediate neighbors include Scarecrow, Staglin, Inglenook, Tietjen, and Phelps.

This flashes that elite style, with a mind-bending complexity blending blackberry, black cherry, crushed minerals, roasted espresso, and freshly tilled earth wrapped in a robe of vanilla and sweet oak. Seamless and expansive, and boasting an incredibly long finish, it’s a “wine of the night” kinda offering you’ll find hard to fault in any way.

Zero scores but hailing from a vintage that Robert Parker rated 98 points, and being Elyse’s Morisoli, it does not really need press now, does it?

Absolutely irresistible in every sense. If you can get a few bottles, do it - won’t last more than an hour or two at best.