Okay, get this: Today’s spectacular wine - and spectacular deal - is the love child of three greats, footballer Charles Woodson, former Mondavi winemaker, Gustavo A. Gonzalez, and the winegrowing talents of Heitz Bros. Vineyards. We are absolutely crazy about this wine, which is well worthy of a place on your table!

Sweet and spice and everything nice on the nose, with dark fruits of Plum, blackberry and black cherry, infused with vanilla extract, sweet mixed spice, chocolate covered caramel, black tea and subtle black pepper. Rich and dense on the palate, with Stewed plum, blackberry, chocolate covered black cherry, dark spice, fig, cinnamon, cocoa dust and very subtle black pepper.

We’re automatically skeptical of celebrity wines, but after just one sniff of today’s wine, we knew that we were in for a real treat. This gracefully aged wine is likely approaching its peak, though we think it has years left in it. Currently, the wine is bursting with juicy fruit that’s tempered by earth and spice. The nose is equally juicy and rich. On the palate, elegance abounds.

Winemaker Gustavo A. Gonzales has been making wine in the Napa Valley for more than 20 years, nearly 17 of which was spent as winemaker for the Robert Mondavi Winery. Today, he makes award-winning wines for Woodson and Mira

This wine hails from the Heitz Bros. Vineyards, which neighbors Sterling, Clos Pegase and Schramsberg. Grapes from this vineyard make their way into some of the Napa Valley’s most iconic wines.

The Calistoga AVA, a sub-appellation of the Napa Valley AVA, situated at the northern end of the Napa Valley. The soils here are almost exclusively volcanic and the temperature swings are enormous, with 100 degree days cooled by the breezes that come off of the Russian River Valley AVA to the west. In fact, Calistoga enjoys the highest diurnal temperature variation in the entire Napa Valley - which places wonderful stress on the grapes that grow here - making for wines that are darker, richer and more flavorful.

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Here’s what the wine press has to say.

90 Points - Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast - “As intense and strapping as a Hall of Fame cornerback, this Cabernet is ripe in dark cherry, vanilla and milk chocolate, the tannins mouthfillingly sweet. Built to last, it should stand up to even the fiercest of meats, from rib eye to ribs.”

90 Points - Wine Spectator