If you were on Jeopardy and the Potent Potables topic said “The typical price paid for a Rutherford Cabernet” you’d correctly answer $70-$100.

And often, it’s much more…

Which makes this anything but typical. The release price puts it squarely in the middle of that range, but our price of $34 sends it straight to the “Spot the Imposter” category. It simply cannot be! But it is…

Quick story time: Two weeks ago, I opened a 2014 Opal Moon Cabernet from the Broken Rock Vineyard. I just checked and we sold that for $22 in 2021. I expected good things - but let me tell you, it shattered expectations. At ten years it had SO much going on and drank beautifully.

I wish I had bought a LOT more of that one at that price.

Then a week later we tried this at the tasting table. It further cemented my opinion that Opal Moon is making some of the best value Napa Cabs in our long history. This one shows a terrific representation of Rutherford at a price that seems detached from reality.

Oh, and it’s not just a Rutherford blend from multiple sources either, it’s all from a single site (lesser) known as Garvey Family Vineyard, surrounded by Dana Estates, Pine Ridge, and Flora Springs on the Western hills of the Rutherford Bench. With neighbors like those, the fact that we have this (easily $100+ league Cab) at less than $35 today is mindboggling, to say the least.

Opal Moon, owned by the Bonneau family and made by the 3rd generation vintner John Bambury, always leaves us moonstruck with their quality. As they like holding wine back to release until ready, these wines often have a pleasantly aged character, masterfully crafted in a style that falls between modern, ripe Napa counterparts and a Bordeaux from an outstanding harvest.

This hits that sweet spot between modern Napa and Old-World Bordeaux perfectly. And it has the hallmark of Rutherford - an intense, dusted tobacco-leaf minerality. With an ever-expanding core of blackberry and cassis, perfectly integrated oak, tobacco leaf, and fine but polished, and sweet tannins. And maybe a little hoisin sauce, and a touch of roasted herbs? There’s a definite masculine rusticity here, but that doesn’t stop it from having a friendly Truman Capote demeanor. It’s in a perfect drinking window now and should stay there for another decade at least. I wouldn’t be surprised if you pulled one of these in 25 years and found it holding up beautifully.

A stupendous value and you can’t find this anywhere except the tasting room. And there you’ll pay a lot more for it.

At the end of the day, when you open a bottle, you think “would I be happy if I paid full price for this?” With this one, the answer is a firm “yes” which means you’ll be over the moon paying $34 for it.