Remember that Metal Bender Red from these folks earlier this year? That INSANE value with hotshot Napa fruit hidden inside? Well, the Stringer Family is BACK with another slam dunk. This time it’s an irresistible, “buttered popcorn in one hand and crisp limeade in the other” kinda Chard. Yes please!

But here’s the thing… A 90-pointer for $15 fades quicker than the afternoon sunlight these days. Just sayin’.

One look at this single-vineyard and you know why. Highly sought-after site in an already highly sought-after appellation that breathes in the cool marine Pacific Ocean air 24/7. Paul Lato, Foxen, Siduri, and Ojai are some of the visionaries who often adorn their labels with it.

What else is in the glass?

Light gold, sitting bright, pure, and crystalline, glittering like diamonds. A bright, tropical bouquet of pineapple, lemongrass, lime, and toasty vanilla for starters. The kiss of background oak is beautifully integrated with citrus and floral elements are how the palate continues. The fruit hangs long upfront, while layered with bright acidity and creamy texture on the refreshing finish. Versatility built-in, fresh spring rolls dipped in peanut sauce, or even sushi would work flawlessly as just one pairing idea.

You may recall that the Stringer family comes to wine through a metalworking background, and Casey Stringer caught the wine bug on a chance visit to Napa Valley. He needed to scratch that itch and left Wisconsin, working his way up at a range of great wineries - Robert Sinskey in Napa, Archery Summit in Oregon, numerous New Zealand wineries where he took up a formal winemaking education, and finally at Jonata, which shares ownership with Screaming Eagle. Today he crafts small batches of fine wine with his wife and two kids.

Well, instead of all that we could have just said “a sublime gem from a prized vineyard at just $15 thanks to a hefty 57% price break” and left it there, but Spies do love to tell stories…

Luckily, there’ll be enough left to go around while we were babbling away.

90 Points – Wine Enthusiast

“Tangy lime-peel, lemongrass and lime-leaf aromas make for a very sharp entry to this bottling. The palate is also very tangy and acid-driven, showing flavors of grapefruit peel, Meyer lemon pith and lime zest.”