This wine from Stony Hill is truly a piece of Napa history in a bottle. Firstly, the property itself is one of the most historic and storied estates in the region. Founded in the 1940s, this is a property from another era altogether. Described as ten individual clos, tiny parcels of vines scattered across the slopes of Spring Mountain, this property has produced wines of immense and singular character for decades. Considered by many as the original cult wine of Napa Valley, the wines have long been recognized by collectors as some of the most age worthy wines in the country. The 2018 vintage specifically marks another landmark turning point in the history of the property as it was the last wine made by the late Mike Chelini who made the wines here from 1972 until 2018 as the longest tenured winemaker in all of Napa Valley. This is the culmination of 46 years of experience making wine from this very special vineyard. This is truly old-school Napa Cabernet at it's finest. Wines crafted in the style of a bygone era when elegance, balance, and refinement were prized over sheer power and decadence. This is still a powerful, concentrated, structured wine, but everything is beautifully proportioned and finely honed. Classic aromas and flavors of briary red and blackcurrants, Bay Laurel, cigar box, subtle mint, manzanita and rocky minerality. A 30+minute decant really allows the wine to expand hinting that it still has plenty of upside for positive development and probably another 15-20 years of drinking ahead of it. A note on pricing - After being founded by Fred and Eleanor McCrea in 1943, Stony Hill remained in the family until 2018. For many years the wines were beloved, especially by folks in the wine business. They were long considered as one of the very best values in the valley remaining modestly priced as other prices of modern Napa Cabernet started to skyrocket. In 2018, and again in 2020 the property was sold to different owners. Looking at neighbors, peers, and similar estates around the valley, the decision was made to dramatically raise the prices of the wines. Some could argue that the quality and pedigree of the wine warrants a lofty price tag. I have certainly tasted my fair share of more even more expensive wines without half of the charm and character that Stony Hill has in spades. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn't happy to be able to offer this superb wine at what I consider to be a much more compelling price. This wine is certainly not inexpensive, but at this incredible Insider's price I think it's right back in the category of representing an excellent value for top-notch, iconic, mountain grown Napa Cabernet. We're really not sure how long this pricing opportunity will exist, but we're stocking up while we can and suggest you do the same!

I hadn't tasted Stony Hill Cabernet in many years so it was a rare treat to sample their outstanding 2018. It's a true classic that took me back several decades as few remain that produce such "old world," low intervention style California Cabernets like this one. It's medium weight and seamless from start to finish. Although it can be enjoyed now with a good decant, I'd cellar this one and allow it to reach its full potential.