We drank a ridiculously great bottle of “value” Napa Cabernet last night that is my next Napa Jam!! For all the flavors and richness that the 2012 On Q Cabernet Sauvignon has you would expect to pay over $125 per bottle easily! These Cabernet grapes hail from the hillsides of Coombsville in the neighborhood of Pahlmeyer, Caldwell, and Meteor and were planted a decade ago. Enter new rock-star winemaker Julien Fayard! He first learned his craft at Lafite-Rothschild and Smith-Haut-Laffite in Bordeaux. Then he came to work in Napa as legendary winemaker Philippe Melka’s assistant winemaker and right hand man for 8 years! Julien has started a few small projects in the last few years that are on the cutting edge of Napa’s new generation of great winemakers. Matthew Wallace and Azur are both killer wines he makes! This 2012 On Q Cabernet blew us all away last night! I cannot recommend this bold red more highly for you! They only made 350 cases and I got 3! Grab some while it lasts! Kim@graileys.com
2012 On Q Cabernet Sauvignon
Graileys Price: $69.95 per bottle | $839 per case
This intense and deep hillside Cabernet spends 2 1/2 years in oak and the wine is bright, rich and loaded with flavors and smells! The nose gives red roses, violets, red currant, black raspberry and blueberry with some dried tarragon, red peppercorn and pipe tobacco with air. The palate is structured, bold and complex. The myriad of red, blue and black fruits continues with exotic herbs and sweet spices on the long and supple finish. This Cab gets better and better over the course of a few hours so I would recommend opening early and often! For my money this might be the best value coming out of Napa nowadays!