Back on the galloping horse and high with the mighty hawk! 94 POINTS! And a hair over $30!?

With scores and prices like that perhaps it’s not astonishing that over the past five years, they remain our top-selling winery of all time. We have seen at least five wines from them every year, and they always crush. Despite the steady stream, we still get flooded with endless requests for more.

Could it be the insane Napa Valley levels of quality they deliver at a fraction of their prices? Could it be Dr. Richard Peterson, who was the OG Screaming Eagle winemaker, as Heidi’s dad? Could it be the hawk or is it the horse? Some things are hard to explain, but boy, do we love them, and do they love us back.

So, gather round once more, fellow Ops, and let us regale you about why this stuff simply OBLITERATES everything in its path.

When we first offered Hawk and Horse a few years ago, we didn’t realize it would quickly become one of, if not THE most popular Cab producer in our long history. The value proposition is off the meter, and this one, with 94 points, as if they need more press. At our price, you’ll have a very tough time finding a Cab that competes. For anyone who knows the story, pardon us while we revisit the background spiel:

It starts with the winemaker, Dr. Richard Peterson. Before Heidi Barrett came on board, it was her dad, Dr. Peterson, who led the first four vintages of Screaming Eagle into cult stardom. That’s not all. He also took André Tchelistcheff’s post at Beaulieu Vineyards while helping develop Atlas Peak Vineyards and presides over numerous institutions, including the American Society for Enology & Viticulture, The Wine Institute, Society of Wine Educators, and American Institute for Wine and Food. Oh, he is also the author of an award-winning autobiography, “The Winemaker.”

Then you have the Red Hills AVA - a little-known (for now) appellation named for its red volcanic soils. It sits just north of Napa, in Lake County - about ten miles north of Howell Mountain, in fact. Here you’ll find some exceedingly high-quality Cabernet without the “Napa tax.” There’s a reason why big guns like Schrader, Derenoncourt, and Beckstoffer have been quietly investing in and sourcing from here.

Now about the wine. These are packed, stacked, and jacked, with everything you want. Black fruit galore - blackberry, black currant, dark plums. Fall spices like nutmeg and clove mingle and a hint of some kind of toasty vanilla or cookie element. It’s open, fruit-forward, and easy drinking without compromising the extra complexity, weight, and depth you want in MUCH more expensive Cabs.

And finally, we must mention the price one more time. Well over HALF OFF the $75 via the winery has us feeling elated. We know we don’t deserve it, but we’ll take it ALL DAY!

94 Points – The Tasting Panel “From the winery’s biodynamic-certified estate vineyard reaching elevations as high as 2,200 feet, this is a highly aromatic red with a perfume of chocolate-covered cherry and new leather. On the palate, the grip is firm and dusty, Italian herbs, iron and taut acidity settle atop a mineral base.”