***BOTTLING MID-NOVEMBER, SHIPPING SHORTLY AFTER***
Knowing this list, a large portion of you will see “2023, first-class Oakville, $150+ program for under $25” and go straight to the web store to claim your share, but since we have plenty of new readers experiencing their first Big Fall Series with us, let’s make sure this superstar classic gets the introduction it deserves…
Though current market volatility has made plenty of off-limits wines newly available, some realms remain as exclusive as ever. Especially Oakville – often described as Napa Valley’s “Grand Cru” district, it’s home to iconic estates and cult producers with years-long wait lists in every direction. Like brands that produce ultra-luxury leather goods or supercars, one of their key advantages to weather the storm is the wealth insulation of their core customer base, but the intersection of supply and demand is never perfect – that’s how operators like us can successfully go spear fishing even among the most esteemed houses.
The fifth Big Fall Series Cabernet in this year’s lineup is a sublime Oakville bottling from a vintage for the ages at over 80% OFF!
Lot 599 is a single-vineyard, estate-grown, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a name that’s graced lists of the finest Cabs in the valley for a generation. Born in a prime valley-floor vineyard during the epic 2023 growing season and then given the royal treatment (as you’d expect from a master), this is a delicate acquisition we definitely don’t want any angry calls about from an Oakville estate of this caliber, so we’ve agreed to be vague and reference $130+ as source pricing…just know that plus sign is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Members of their private allocation list wait a long time for the privilege, and on the off chance you find it at a specialty retailer, that original price almost seems like a relative bargain. But, you’ve got access to a private deal out the side door thanks to connections and a handshake…that’s the beauty of de Négoce.
Our price: $299/case DELIVERED, $24+/bottle to your door!
This Oakville site possesses prime terroir for cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon of the highest order. Warm, sunny days are tempered by the ideal level of cooling influences from San Pablo Bay, perfect for this slow-ripening, thick-skinned varietal. A mix of clay loam and gravelly alluvium provides the right amount of drainage and just enough nutrients to produce powerful fruit. They spare no expense in the cellar, marrying traditional techniques with the latest technological advances. As you might imagine, it underwent extended aging in French oak of the finest cooperage to yield an expression of pure, quintessential Oakville.
The wine opens with opulent aromas of black plum and cassis, gradually unfolding with air to reveal cocoa nibs, wet stone, and freshly split cedar. The entry is silky and elegant, showcasing blackcurrant, capsicum, vanilla, and pronounced spice – each element bolstered by deftly interwoven acidity and perfectly integrated youthful tannins. A long, luxurious finish finds concentrated black fruit permeating the barrel spice before settling into elegant vanilla blossom and violet umami. A phenomenal wine with a long future ahead of it, be sure to pair it with the finest filet mignon you can get your hands on when the opportunity presents itself.
