Lot 554
2023 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon

Well over $125/bottle under the original label

Lot 554 is a single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the appellation’s most rugged sites, perched high in the Vaca Mountains. Harnessing the innate power of the mountain fruit, our source’s winemaker has crafted a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with tremendous sense of place. In 2023, consistently cool weather lengthened the growing season, allowing phenolics and tannins to fully develop alongside ample acidity (augmenting the mountain fruit’s already immense intensity).

Opening with a nose of dark cherries and a dried herbs, the bouquet deepens with air, unveiling aromas of cassis, violet, and new leather. On the palate, concentrated black cherry is interwoven with iodine, clay pot, and thyme in an almost meaty presentation, accented by iris florals, medium-plus acidity, and firm, grippy tannins. The finish is long and resinous, with gobs of barrel character wrapped around a core of dark fruit and crushed white blossoms. Break out a well-seasoned tomahawk on the grill for this one.