Who’s on your modern-day Wine Olympics dream team?

The equivalent of Tatum and Curry?

What about Fayard and Barbour? A strong argument can easily be made.

That is, assuming you love ultra-polished, seductive, and flashy Cabernet.

But that kind of talent comes with a price. Jim Barbour and Julien Fayard’s own Cabs fetch $100-200 or more. And that’s about where this flagship blend was positioned.

We can’t drain threes like Steph or crank out 100-pointers like Julian. But we can stiff-arm a price into submission. So, what was once $135 is yours for under $50!! Seriously! This is the Cab you love to drink, share, and brag about because it over-delivers BIG TIME.

The magic starts in the vineyard, and nobody does it better than Jim Barbour. He’s like the Wolf in Pulp Fiction. As one of the most sought-after viticulturalists, you can call him, and he puts everything in perfect order. Give him a prime plot neighboring Peter Michael in Knights Valley right over the Napa County line, sit back, and enjoy the results.

And Fayard? Well, he’s just about the hottest winemaker in the world. If he’s behind the wine, you know what to expect - power, polish, and utter enjoyment.

And let’s not forget Brandon and Gregory. Their names are prominently on the label, as you probably noticed. These two joined together in matrimony, and in winemaking, and purchased a prime spot of land in Knight’s Valley.

This blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc (think Dalla Valle’s Maya) has everything you’d hope for upon pulling the cork. Silky and polished in the mouth, this stuff just keeps delivering waves of dark black fruit. Plum compote, warm cherry pie, toasty sweet oak, tobacco, and wind-swept wild herbs. Polished, velvety tannins add to that smooth mouthfeel. Drink this with abandon now through 2034, if you can hold onto it…

No professional reviews, but a handful of extra-picky CellarTracker scores put it in the 94-95 range and that seems conservative. Personality-wise, it’s terrific, sexy, opulent, flamboyant, ready to please both the hedonistic and the intellectual sides.

Just 5 barrels made, and we have the balance, which probably won’t last more than a few hours if we’re lucky… You won’t find this at your local Costo. Or even the most scrupulous and discerning wine shop. It used to be poured at Julien’s hip new tasting room Maison Fayard in Napa - alongside Purlieu, Beau Vigne, Covert Estate, and a few others.

Today it’s yours for a total steal. While it lasts, anyways.