Laely Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa Valley, California

This cuvée is a new wine by Laely Heron – years in the making. The search for the right vineyards to produce this elegant wine led her to several districts within the Napa Valley AVA: Howell Mountain, Rutherford, Atlas Peak and Oakville. The wine is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petite Verdot. Having studied winemaking in France, she envisioned a Bordeaux-inspired red. A wine that is serious without expressing one dimensional, over-the-top oak notes, but rather a balanced profile at release with an age worthy, yet approachable tannin structure. Heron Wines, founded by winemaker Laely Heron, believes that delicious wines should be an unalienable right. High-quality, approachable wine should not come at a huge price. Heron goes where the best grapes are grown in order to maximize the natural characteristics of the varietal. Heron does not own any vineyards. This allows them to spend their money where it matters (on exceptional grapes and barrels, not mortgages). By establishing both short and long-term contracts with their growers, they have the benefits of consistency and flexibility.