Ramey Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Oakville 2016

Oh, wow, have we got a treat today! Super-limited, as in only FOUR CASES available! Ramey is a Napa Valley legend, and this single vineyard Oakville cabernet sauvignon is one of the very top wines to come out of the heralded Napa Valley 2016 vintage. Not to be missed is the understatement of the day...while it lasts!

David Ramey is a long-time Napa resident, with quite the resume to his credit...even before founding his eponymous estate. After 16 years in Sonoma, helping to establish Matanzas Creek and Chalk Hill wineries as Sonoma powerhouses, he took on the prestigious role of winemaker at Christian Moueix’s iconic Dominus Estate. He would then go on to set up Rudd Estate, on the eastern edge of Oakville alongside Leslie Rudd. When Ramey began in 1996, the winery burst onto the scene with a slew of critically acclaimed wines in their first few harvests, and now, some 25+ years later, Ramey is established as one of Napa’s top, limited-production wineries.

This Pedregal cabernet sauvignon is truly exceptional, and one of Ramey’s best wines to date without question. The folks at Vinous praise its “notable depth and intensity, along with all of the pedigree of Oakville” while the good people at the Wine Advocate note that this bottling “offers the power and elegance of the best Cabernets from the 2016 vintage.” High praise, indeed, and when coupled with the scant 239 cases total production...this is a wine to be savored!

The Pedregal vineyard sits amongst some of the greatest vineyards in the world, with such illustrious neighbors like Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle, and nearby to acclaimed vineyards like Tench, Tierra Roja, and Peter Michael’s Au Paradis. The final blend checks in at 87% cabernet sauvignon, and a hefty 13% of petit verdot. The resulting wine is classic Ramey – powerful, bold, and certainly not-for-the-shy, with teeth-staining concentration, and primordial depth of flavor. The harmonious flavors of Oakville simply ooze through every sip – with inky blackberries, Luxardo cherries, and myriad bramble berries. Eastern Oakville’s volcanic rock – stemming from an ancient landslide from what is now Pritchard Hill – provides an almost Bordeaux-esque profile of graphite and iron that matches seamlessly with the spice profile of cedar, licorice, cigar box, and creamy mocha. Wow… just wow. This is a beast and a beauty, no two ways about it. If Napa Cab is your passion – consider this your next found love!

PAIRING IDEAS: Something classy, over the top, and viscerally delightful is demanded here. To me, that makes me lean hard into a steakhouse classic...Steak Diane. Filet mignon, sauteed mushrooms, a decadent brandy, and cream sauce. Epicurean hedonism at its finest.