Frisson: sudden strong feeling of excitement, or thrill

Goosebumps! We got ‘em the first time we tasted this. And every time thereafter.

As a social reviewer wrote, “put in line with heavy hitters and held its own.”

We understand what they meant. Because we tasted this alongside some BIG GUN Napa reds - Beckstoffer To Kalon, Dr. Crane, and several others with big scores, and bigger price tags to match.

And it delivered.

If you’re the type who loves those flashy Napa reds but doesn’t want to shell out big bucks for a Tuesday night bottle, this is your jam.

At the $85 winery price, it stands tall against stiffer, more expensive competition. With our 67% off it’s a smash-the-buy-button kind of deal. Unreal value! While it lasts anyways.

Winemaker Wayne Donaldson crushed it with this one. No wonder he cut his teeth all around the wine world with a triumphant career for years, from Champagne to South Africa, from New Zealand to Australia, before settling in California to lead Domaine Chandon, Newton, William Hill, and Louis Martini, to name a few of the institutions he helped elevate to new heights.

His sidekick here is young talent Paul Colantuoni, who got bit by the wine bug after a degree in Chemical Engineering & Molecular Biology from Princeton (!) and learning the ropes in Tuscany and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, before working under Ehren Jordan at Neyers on Pritchard Hill in Napa Valley.

Front to back, side to side, this stylish little fruit bomb has more bounce than a ‘64 Impala on hydraulics. It hits ALL our switches - mouthcoating, ripe, opulent… like Hawaiian fruit punch for sophisticated adults (without the high fructose corn syrup!). With a riper fruit profile and a glossy smooth mouthfeel, it’s giving Caymus vibes - on a budget.

Mostly Cabernet with a bit of Merlot and Petit Verdot all sourced from Toucher Vineyards in Rutherford, it yields GOBS of blue and red fruit. Cherry compote, dark chocolate, red plums, and cassis for days. Just electrified with a ripe core of fruit and sweet bakery scents - like a room filled with mixed berry galettes or something. A little pencil lead and savory herbs with some toasty rich oak, too.

Wow… just wow.

Absolute madness at this price! A true crowd-pleaser in every sense, and one we are scooping up by the caseload for ourselves here. Not much to go around on a quiet Sunday so if you’re reading this - make it yours.

95 Points – The Tasting Panel

“We were mesmerized by its woodsy perfume of sage and sandalwood. A flash of dark plum and fig brings in a plush mouthfeel, with black-peppered boysenberry leading the charge. Energetic and well-structured. Tannins are supple and there’s a brightness of fruit, a depth of graphite and oak, and an overall marvelous balance.”