Brush up on your Napa royalty, Double 95 Points.. Heidi Barrett. The gallery is now open, Ops! Napa’s Queen of the Valley… just $79

Only 140 cases were made in 2021. Seriously though, Heidi Barrett??? Do we really need an introduction? Most of you are already halfway to checkout.

For everyone else, Robert Parker dubbed her “The First Lady of Wine,” and the wine world has crowned her “The Queen of Cult Cabernet.”

Every time we land an allocation, it vanishes.

She started out under Justin Meyer at Franciscan and Silver Oak, then became head winemaker at Buehler Vineyards at just 25 years young. From there, the client list never let up: Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, Grace Family, Revana, David Arthur, Paradigm. The Drinks Business calls her “the woman behind some of California’s most lusted after wines.”

She has quite the collection of 100 pointers, too. Some of you know her through her father, Dr. Richard Peterson. He took over from André Tchelistcheff at BV and now makes the Hawk & Horse you bulldoze every time we get it. Her mom, Diane, was a professional artist. Dad’s lab. Mom’s easel. Heidi took the best of both parents.

Every vintage of Studio Series features a different painting by Heidi on the label. The 2021 label is her acrylic on canvas titled “Wine Bottles.” Subtle. 😁 And this wine is actually a red blend. Napa’s cult Cab legend made this one with Syrah first: 58% Syrah, 34% Cab, with Petite Sirah and a dab of Cab Franc. The result….Magnificent!

Pull the cork and give it some air. Inky in the glass. Jammy berry fruit that tastes like it came straight out of a mason jar, then the Syrah shows its wild side with briny kalamata olive and a whiff of sun-baked hillside scrub. On the palate it’s broad-shouldered with bittersweet cocoa and a sharpened-pencil edge running underneath. It lingers on and on. It’s just stunning. Get a ribeye going and sip a glass while you wait.🥩 🔥

$79, Operatives. Fine art never tasted this good. 🖼️

95 Points - The Wine Palate ”The 2021 Studio Series Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it soars with notes of plum preserves, red currant jelly, and blueberry pie, giving way to hints of garrigue, tapenade, and mossy tree bark. The big, bold, concentrated palate is jam-packed with black, blue, and red fruit preserves flavors, supported by velvety tannins and great tension, finishing long and fragrant. Drink 2025-2043.”

95 Points - James Suckling ”This unusual blend based on syrah and cabernet sauvignon combines a velvety texture with very deep, dark, concentrated fruit flavors. Harmonious, polished and creamy while also being full-bodied, bold and dark. Black cherries, black licorice, graphite, toast and dark chocolate are layered on the palate. Drink now or hold.”

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck ”Based on 58% Syrah, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petite Sirah and Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Red Blend Studio Series offers beautiful blackberries, plums, leafy herbs, and exotic floral notes. It’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, layered mouthfeel, ripe and polished tannins, and a great finish. This beautifully made effort should have 10-12 years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2037.”