Rutherford Ranch’s highly acclaimed wines have been named by Robert Parker as some of the greatest values in Napa Valley wine. At our special, Operatives-only price, today’s wine is more than a value - its a steal!

Today marks the first time we’re featuring Rutherford Ranch. And not for our lack of trying! We’ve been chasing them down for nearly a decade, so when we got the chance to secure the final cases of their 2013 Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, we bought them all! Robert Parker awarded the 2013 Napa Cab vintage a decades-high 98 points!

With its dense garnet core that spreads out evenly to the very edge, this Napa Cab even looks formidable. The nose quickly confirms that this is a big wine, with fragrant notes of raspberry, cassis, red plum, leather, and allspice. On the palate, it’s time for the show, with cascading flavors of plum compote, red and black cherry, currants, and pomegranate with the barrel spice peeking through the fruit on the back end. Equal parts chewy tannin and bold fruit, this is a Napa Cab for lovers of big, expressive wines. Of course, a long finish is par for the course. A thick slab of New York strip steak with a healthy dose of A1 sauce is what’s needed for this wine.

Rutherford Ranch is blessed with one heck of a great winemaker in Jay Appleseed, who was the top winemaker for Franciscan Estate and Mount Veeder Winery. Jay’s approach to winemaking relies on experimentation to facilitate perfection. Jay’s wines are universally impressive.

We’re thrilled to share the last of today’s wine with you. Don’t dally, though. This wine will likely sell out before day’s end.

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Here’s what the wine press has to say

Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast - “Clove, tobacco and blackberry jam aromas define this smooth, rounded red. Smoky oak and plush dark cherry linger on the palate.”