Appy 4th of July Friday!

With a Napa Cab, of course. The kind that has Jeb Dunnuck say, “Hats off to this estate.”

Sometimes, it’s right there under your nose. Who is Evidence? …we asked when the opportunity landed. Popped the corks, and the rest is history.

Profound. Astonishing. Superb. Our panel was in disbelief. Who are these people? There had to be more “evidence” to help explain why these were some of the best we’d ever seen from Napa’s mountains. So, in full spy curiosity mode, we dove in. The more we found, the more it all made sense.

At this point, we could just throw down Mt. Veeder (again), add the 95-97 scores PLUS a 40% OFF onto the story, go home, and watch them sell out, but that would be LAZY.

Where were we? Per Napa Wine Project “we have heard a number of stories behind the names of wine brands in Napa Valley, but this is one of the more unique narratives.” It all began before the turn of this century, in Chicago, between two bartending buddies, Jason Court and Chris Carpenter. Yes, that Chris Carpenter, behind some of Napa’s most heralded mountain wines: Cardinale, Lokoya, Mt. Brave, La Jota… Staying in touch, they went on to climb their own peaks. While Jason conquered the film industry, Chris, well, you know…

In 2002, when Jason needed a change, Chris opened the doors for him. For the next 7 years, he learned the ropes from Chris. Inspired by a potentially fake pallet of Cardinale that was actually marked “evidence” he was ready to launch his own brand. With his connections, sourcing the best possible fruit was the easy part. Partnering with Mariano Navarro, former vineyard manager of Cardinale and Lokoya, he focused on two distinct sites in Mt. Veeder and Coombsville.

Fast forward to today. When Jason decided to take on new ventures in the movie business, we were able to snag what’s left of the Evidence project; don’t ask how. We simply can’t afford to provide that evidence.

While it lasts…

96 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “I loved the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Immaculate Vineyard, another brilliant wine from this estate. Where the Bruadair Vineyard is broad and textured, this stays more focused and precise. Crème de cassis, spring flowers, scorched earth, and a Pauillac-like lead pencil character all define the aromatics, and this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a focused, elegant mouthfeel, ample ripe tannins, and a great finish. Easily the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted, it will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and have 20-25 years of overall longevity. Drink 2027-2046.”