Lot 92 2024 Napa Valley Proprietor's Red

WINE FUTURE BOTTLING SEPTEMBER 2026

EXPECTED SHIP DATE FALL 2026

Lot 92 2024 Napa Valley Proprietor's Red hails from an extremely well-known and highly-regarded vineyard planted in the upper elevation white volcanic soils in the eastern hills above Saint Helena but below the Howell Mountain elevation cutoff. And, while this is not Howell Mountain appellation, it might as well be given how similar the rocky soils are. The vineyard was planted many decades back by a legendary vineyard developer and manager, as well as brand proprietor, commanding mid-triple digit prices and near-perfect scores for the Cabernet Sauvignon bottling coming off not only this property, but many others. In fact, I think it is fair to say that, both directly and indirectly, this gentleman has had a hand in more "cult" Cabs and "100-pointers" than just about anyone.

However, that's just the vineyard. Unfortunately, there is not much I can tell you about the producer here without giving them away and, of course, there is very tight NDA. I can tell you the brand is relatively new to the marketplace, with just a few vintages under the belt, but ownership has gone all out, hiring a top winemaking consultant and top notch facility resulting in mid-to-upper 90-point scores from top critics for their initial vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 

Given the purpose-built nature of the blend at hand, I suspect this was a to be the initial offering of a new Proprietary Red blend or something similar. However, when you look at the state of the market today for two-hundred dollar bottles of red blend, I imagine the producer just simply decided to cut bait and sell the wine in bulk. With this balance sheet, it's much easier to focus on the reputation and sustainability of the brand than bottle up a new offering and watch it sit. Pure conjecture on my part to be honest but then, Occam's Razor.

Regardless, given the ownership and the winemaker, I can say without a doubt this is a "no-expense-spared" production. No way we would have gotten our hands on this in a normal market. The wine was crafted in an ultra-premium facility and, given the ripe, chocolatey nature of this blend, I presume aged in 100% new French oak. And, given the integration, I think this wine was likely blended in Spring of 2025 and has been barrelled down in it's current blend ever since.

Price point? Again, who knows for sure, but I can't imagine it's under $150-$200/bottle. Regardless, for first-run, purpose-built luxury red blend, it is a hell of a deal at $299/case!

If big, bold, rich, ripe and complex reds is your thing, this is your wine. Imagine Lot 27 Spring Mountain Proprietor's Red but riper, blacker fruit and more accessible.

Deep, inky "Black Swan" core with purple rim in the glass, nearly opaque. The rich, ripe, open-knit structure of the 2024 vintage shows through here with loads of ripe blackberry, black cherry, and black forest cake enveloped in gobs of toasty, chocolatey oak. Big and plush on entry with rich, ripe but still minerally tannins carrying a massive mouthful of black fruit and toffee complexed with pretty black cherry notes that lift and carry through the long, chocolatey finish. Rich, ripe, chewy and plush, this is one hell of a magic carpet ride on the palate. Sensuous and delicious and beautifully balanced, this is pure hedonism in a glass. 

46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 21% Petite Verdot, 11% Cabernet Franc. 100% Napa Valley, 100% estate vineyard in the hills above Saint Helena below the Howell Mountain elevation cutoff.
~100% new French oak
15.1% alc., 3.85 pH, >.1 g/L Malic, .77g/L Lactic
~200 cases to be produced