Wine Spectator has been dropping their Top 10 this week, and in a matter of hours, they will reveal the #1 Wine of the Year. Looking at the Top 5, we’ve featured FOUR of those labels in the past!

Which means, there’s one left. Could it be this Medlock Ames? Probably not, but we’ll plant our own flag and stake this as OUR #1 Wine of the Year!

After all Nirvana in Sonoma… says Food & Wine can be found “up on Bell Mountain where Medlock Ames winery produces amazing wines…” What sorcery? What craftiness? No incantations are needed. No slick talking either. Just good ol’ local relationships with wineries we know and love.

And we are INFATUATED with Medlock Ames. Obsessed. They simply do not miss. They always bring big scores, and this vintage is no exception, with a pair of 94-point ratings by the pros. That’s all gravy, but there is one problem. Most of their wines are sold straight out of the tasting room, or to their wine club members. Or, occasionally, from your favorite in-the-know website for wine deal reconnaissance.

And while the $70 tasting room price is certainly on the lower end for this type of quality, our $39 price is unmatched. Untouchable. UNCONTESTED.

Chris Medlock James and Ames Morison, college best friends who left the hustle of NYC for the rolling hills of eastern Sonoma County, knew what they wanted from the beginning. Driving around Chalk Hill Road, their vision was realized at Bell Mountain Ranch. Of course, we dig their obsession with farming organically, without using pesticides, and commitment to sustainability.

Ames was the original winemaker, but today they have Abby Watt at the helm and Jean Hoefliger overseeing as a consultant. Abby worked at the vaunted Hartford Court before leading the charge here, and of course, Hoefliger puts his stamp on many 94-100 wines from AXR, The Debate, Alpha Omega, Harbison, Pope Valley, and more.

If you’ve had previous Medlock Ames Cabs, you know what to expect. This falls in line with the style - inky, saturated, and structured, but similarly polished with a drink-me-now approachability. With 21 months in 45% new French oak, it retains a lot of freshness but has excellent extraction and depth. And while 2020 proved a tough vintage for many Napa wineries, just north in Alexander Valley they were less impacted. All fruit for this wine came in before most of the fires broke out in California and you won’t find a much better wine from the vintage. Certainly not of this quality, at this price.

Rich with a broad spectrum of fruit - from blueberry compote, dark black plum jam, and strawberry pop tart. Add to the mix some vanilla bean, roasted espresso, walnuts, leather, and earthy spices and you get all the extra complexity you can hope for. Dusty, pixelated tannins add to the robust structure. Big, pure, powerful, and an absolute pleasure to drink. And it should stay that way for 10-20 years or more.

Very little is made, and much less sits in our warehouse. Claim your share of OUR Wine of the Year!

94 Points – The Wine Independent “The 2020 Bell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, with 4% Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. Black cherries, mulberries, and juicy blackcurrants spring from the glass leading to hints of candied violets, camphor, and tar. The medium to full-bodied palate has a firm, chewy texture and just enough freshness to support the generous fruit, finishing earthy. Drink 2023-2040.”

94 Points – James Suckling “Purely delicious, this supple, seductive wine is relaxed, with black cherries and blueberries plus light oak and savory nuances. It offers a brilliant fruit expression with good depth and length on the finish. From organically grown estate grapes. Drink or hold.”