Lieff Ranch is back following their banger Sauvignon Blanc…

The last Lieff reviewed by Wine Spectator came from their Rutherford estate off of Auberge Road. It was a Cabernet described as “a muscular expression, dense, chewy and tannic, with a deep, lively core of dark berry, mocha, espresso and dried herb flavors, gaining depth and ends with a persistent aftertaste.”

Sounds just like today’s example.

The biggest difference? It sold for $125 as a mailing list exclusive.

Since then, things have changed, and that change brings good fortune to us. Mr. Lieff moved to Santa Ynez wine country and started anew there. He sought help from Doug Margerum - a master who knows how to make first-class Cabernet. They locked down some prime cool climate terroir - an area prized so much for Bordeaux varietals that the owners of Screaming Eagle had started the Jonata winery just an hour further south.

Proprietor Robert Lieff is quite the celebrity. As an attorney, he is one of the most famous around. Yet his Napa roots as a cherry picker (literally) there in 1960 always brought him back to wine country as a partner and investor. After helping Robert Mondavi start his winery in 1966, he co-founded Far Niente, and Vichon later sold to Robert Mondavi. In the late 1990s, he settled in Rutherford’s Auberge Road to start Lieff Vineyards, and in the early 2000s, he ventured into Santa Barbara wine country.

As a champion of local expertise, he commissioned winemaker extraordinaire Doug Margerum who has his own impressive resume. Prior to Margerum Wine Co., in 1981 he founded Wine Cask, a fine wine retailer and an award-winning Santa Barbara restaurant. From 1986 through 1998, Margerum partnered with Bob Lindquist of Qupé, and Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, honing his winemaking skills alongside two highly influential visionaries, while his reputation made him a legend in his own right.

But the wine! THE WINE. It’s truly one of our finest scores this year. The price to quality is off the charts. A big, rich effort that offers gobs of deep red fruit. Is that cherry jolly rancher? Cassis, blackberry, blackcurrant, scorched earth, tobacco, and sweet licorice. Mouth-filling and textured on the palate, but never heavy. It has a bright acidity to carry the flavors along, with chalky minerality on the finish and just the right kiss of oak. It’s drinking in the early stages of its window, where it should stay for another decade easily.

Oh, in case you wonder how exactly we scored this crazy good deal, Robert Lieff decided to move back to Napa, selling his ranch and vineyards. Per Robb Report “Most million-dollar homes have wine cellars, but few come with a full-blown vineyard. Those who want a never-ending supply of Sauvignon Blanc would do well to invest in the latter, which is good timing because a $16 million estate in Santa Barbara just listed with 26 acres of vines.”

This is a CASE ME kind of buy. A cellar defender of the finest order. JUST 25 BUCKS (a third of what it originally cost) while it lasts.