What do Continuum, Kongsgaard, Stagecoach, and Pritchard Hill all have in common?

Of course, it’s ATLAS PEAK!

So much to love up there… America’s premier luxury lifestyle magazine Robb Report puts it best: “There’s delicious irony in the fact that some of Napa Valley’s most exciting wines come from high in the mountains flanking the valley proper - the Mayacamas on the west side (Mount Veeder, Spring Mountain), the Vacas on the east (Howell Mountain). Yet as these AVAs have drawn knowing fans and praise for the muscled structure of their wines, one mountain appellation has remained somewhat quieter and a little less visible: Atlas Peak. That may well be because it is less visible, requiring perseverance along circuitous routes to reach. And possibly, too, because its most famous vineyard – Stagecoach - straddles the AVA line, occupying Pritchard Hill, as well.”

What we have here today folks, is the winery that MADE the AVA and their flagship bottling. First made in 1987, with a reputation that kept growing enough to become its own appellation in 1992.

Mind you, this wine is not to be confused with their more affordable ‘Napa Valley’ Cab from vineyards outside of Atlas Peak, this is 100% rugged mountain terroir, a best-of-the-best pick from elevations that range 2,000-2,500 feet. Take that, and leave it in the hands of one of the most storied winemakers Napa has ever seen… You’ll recall Robert Pepi most recently from his top-selling Eponymous Cabs.

Since Pepi sold his namesake winery, he’s been highly selective with projects he took on. Washington Examiner captures the story best; “It all began in the mid-1960s when his dad bought a vineyard in the Oakville district in Napa Valley. By 1980, Pepi and his dad set up a winery and started making Robert Pepi wines. Soon, Pepi’s wines were receiving high praise and great scores. Success attracts attention. In 1994, Pepi’s family sold the winery and the Robert Pepi label to Kendall-Jackson, which became the foundation for K-J’s famous, ultra-high-end brand Cardinale. Without the family winery as his anchor, Pepi was now free to indulge his ultimate passion.”

Legendary winemakers always end up high atop the valley floor to pursue their ultimate passion. And in a perfect vintage like 2018, dreams can come true. What’s in the glass is big, bold, juicy, and oh-so-deftly balanced, which makes you a believer, that a wine this silky and complex can only come from top fruit and that unmistakable half a century winemaking competence.

All that, AND half-priced today? Load up, we did our part!

92 Points – James Suckling

“Notes of ripe cassis, blackberries, currant bush and baking spices. Full-bodied with layers of polished tannins, deep fruit and crushed stones. Balanced, with a solid tannin texture. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. Drink or hold.”