Mission Codename It’s not the size of the vineyard…
DEEP COVER: Sylvie is BACK! With the BEST LIBRARY RELEASE we’ve seen from them yet!
Consider this. Just over three barrels are made of today’s 96+ Point wine. The vineyard is surrounded by Oakville titans – Rudd, Dalla Valle, Phelp’s Backus Vineyard, Garguilo –
The wine is sold exclusively to their mailing list. And one restaurant placement: The French Laundry!
Our Top-Secret price? Shhhhh… go ahead and tuck a Benjamin and then some back in your pocket!
Oozing with black fruit, spice, and dark chocolate notes gripped by firm tannins, this beauty is well worth the full SRP!
Sylvie Estate may not be a household name. But that’s just because there isn’t enough of it to go around. It is an ultra-rare Cabernet Sauvignon from some of the best land in Oakville. But their vineyard is less than an acre in size!
“With less than 100 cases produced each vintage, I suspect direct from the winery will be the only option to acquire it.” explains the Wine Advocate. “The property is in a very special part of Napa Valley – slightly elevated and on the eastern side Oakville. Like many of their neighbors, the soils are iron rich and orange/red in color with plenty of rocks. This is a premium vineyard neighborhood; nearby wineries or vineyard neighbors include Dalla Valle, Rudd Estate, Joseph Phelps’ Backus Vineyard and Gargiulo Vineyards.” the Napa Valley Wine Project elaborates.
You’ll note of the 2016, in the review below the say, “It’s structured enough to think another few years might even benefit it, although it’s far from unapproachable, and it’s a relative bargain if you can track down some of the very limited production.”
They don’t shop at Wine Spies. 🤫
It is the epitome of top-tier passion-project micro-production estate wine. You see, the Lopez family first planted their vineyard in 1989, inspired by their famous neighbors. For years they supplied premium Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to iconic wineries such as Caymus, Lewis, and Cardinale. But since 2010 they have kept everything for themselves.
Naming the label Sylvie, they brought on a dream team to oversee the production. Winemaker Kurt Niznik is not a flashy guy, but his resumé is – after working with consultant Philippe Melka at Caldwell Vineyards to produce wine for nineteen clients, he went on to make wine for the Mondavi Family, helping them build Continuum and transition from purchased to estate fruit.
To oversee growing at the Lopez Family Vineyard, he brought on Kendall Smith, who was then vineyard manager for one of Napa’s first cult classics, Grace Family Vineyards.
The result? This Cabernet drips with currant, dark cherry, and blueberry fruit, with complex elements of tobacco, fresh pepper, mocha, toast, and earth. It’s muscular but elegant, with a firm tannic grip and savory finish. Time has treated this well, and the 96+ Point review foresaw its potential with great clarity. Drink it now or hold for up to a decade plus with confidence.
There are a lot of wineries in Napa Valley. But the number that produce less than 100 cases a year is miniscule. We can only think of a couple, and their prices are stratospheric. Fueled by passion and the love of their terroir, you just don’t find wines like Sylvie…
At over 60% off? Doesn’t happen. Act fast. Because there really isn’t that much to go around.
96+ Points – Wine Advocate “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a more concentrated, riper-tasting effort than the 2015. Loaded with cassis and black cherries and backed by deep, loamy earth notes, it’s a terrific wine. Medium to full-bodied, it’s dense, concentrated, rich and velvety, yet not heavy at all, with a lively note of licorice on the lingering finish. It’s structured enough to think another few years might even benefit it, although it’s far from unapproachable, and it’s a relative bargain if you can track down some of the very limited production (a reported 82 cases). Drink 2025-2045.”
What the Winery Says
2016 Lopez Vineyard Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
- Winemaker
- Kurt Niznik
- Varietal
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vintage
- 2016
- Alcohol
- 14.6%
- Appellation
- Oakville, Napa Valley
- Vineyard
- Lopez Vineyard
- Aging
- 18 months
- Barrels
- 50% new French oak
About the Winery
Sylvie Estate