Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Oakville Napa Valley 2019

From the legendary vintner behind Dominus Estate here in Napa, (and a little estate in Pomerol called Chateau Petrus), Christian Moueix is the wizard behind the curtain at Ulysses – a rising star in Napa’s cult cab game. We have just five cases on this 95 point beauty...Bordeaux elegance wrapped in Napa’s polished and profound cloak.

We tasted this a ways back at the Oakville Grower’s Association tasting, after fighting our way through the rest of the Napa Valley winemakers wanting to get a sample, and wow, did it live up to the hype! Like so many of Christian’s Napa wines, this screams Bordeaux, Right Bank in this case, to our palates. From a cool part of the Oakville appellation (near Beckstoffer’s Missouri Hopper and Vine Hill Ranch), this is rich and creamy but has an almost Pomerol-like sensibility to it – tightly wound, highly complex, with terrific balance and layered flavors that unfold over time. EPIC! And a perfect aging wine – this might outlive you...!

Christian Moueix, acquired this pristine corner of the historic Missouri Hopper vineyard in 2008, tucked right next to Vine Hill Ranch and Bond’s Vecina site. Pretty great company for a spectacular newcomer poised to make waves. It’s highly stylized and lifted, with a grounding minerality and chocolatey depth that is classic Oakville. This is built to last, but the trademark friendliness and open-knit quality of the wine in its youth make it a good choice either way.