“Julien Fayard has been the winemaker of record for more than a few top-shelf Napa wines - more than 20, to be exact. But until recently, the French-born and trained alum of the Philippe Melka winemaking orbit, with stints on his resume including Lafite Rothschild, has never had his name on a front label. Now, he’s putting a little more skin in the game.” – Robb Report

Suit up for duty, collectors, because your Agents have uncovered a VIP pass into the secret world of Napa’s elite Cabernets.

We’re talking rare hillside fruit, meticulous winemaking, and a score pedigree that turns heads faster than a Lamborghini Veneno at a supercar meetup. 95 points for this one, with its “usual flair for an opulent and expressive palate feel” as Decanter noted. And as usual, a price that’ll ensure inventory drops just as quick as that redline comes in the Lambo…

Your target? The ‘21 Fayard Napa Reserve Cab - a wine with ALL the pedigree you could hope for, and none of the triple digit price that seems mandatory these days.

Julien Fayard isn’t just a winemaker.. He’s Napa’s not-so-secret weapon. Raised in France, trained at top Classified Growth Châteaux, Fayard came to California and quickly racked up a dossier most winemakers would kill for: stints at Lail, Vineyard 29, Quintessa, Dalla Valle, Realm, and Covert Estate… all while under the mentorship of elite cult Cab master Melka. If you’ve ever wondered who was quietly pulling the strings behind Napa’s most collectible reds, spoiler alert: it’s these guys.

This Reserve bottling is built from hillside fruit in Yountville and Pritchard Hill. Real estate where Cab gets its most serious swagger. Spending 22 months in French oak (about 70% new), probably the expensive kind (they like that Taransaud and Darnajou, ya know). But here’s where Fayard shows his mastery: instead of burying the fruit in heavy toast, he dials it back, letting purity and structure take the lead.

What’s in the glass is a pure thrill ride. Bright, ripe blackberries and cassis, sculpted by fine-grained tannins and polished minerality, with a finish that lingers like the closing credits of a James Bond blockbuster. Decanter dropped 95 points on it, praising its balance of opulence and restraint.

At $125 a bottle, this Reserve easily plays in the same league as Napa’s elite. But today, you’re cleared for insider access at a rock bottom $59. That’s the kind of intel collectors wait for years to intercept. Small production, serious pedigree, big-time score… consider this your License to Thrill.

Just don’t hesitate, because opportunities like this will “self-destruct” quickly!

95 Points – Decanter “This is Julien Fayard’s Reserve, which comes from fruit mostly from hillside sites and picks up the intensity of grapes sourced from Yountville and Pritchard Hill, aged 22 months in roughly 70% new French. There’s a beautiful restraint here as Fayard has backed off the percentage of new oak and focused more on lower toasts and more structure, allowing the bright, ripe fruit of the sites to shine through. Full-bodied with his usual flair for an opulent and expressive palate feel, but more fruit-driven with a solid base of fine-grained and sappy tannins. A long finish of crushed rock minerality. Drink 2024-2038.”