2012 Eleven Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon Laki's Vineyard Napa Valley 750 ml

The Hottest New Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley

Eight and one-half years ago, we sent out the first WineAccess story. It featured three vintages of a Napa Valley red called “Bourriquot,” crafted by Michael Havens. We had no idea what to expect when we hit the SEND button, as we’d never directly communicated with our audience. To our surprise, 35 people bought, and the company earned $300. At the time, that seemed like a windfall.

Since then, WineAccess has grown geometrically. Our daily missives are sent to a membership that now exceeds one million. With circulation comes influence, something that isn’t lost on even the hottest new winery in Napa Valley.

When Ellie Anest and Aurelien Roulin invited us to Eleven Eleven in January, Kirk Venge had just earned rave reviews from The Wine Advocate for his 2013s, including the winemaker’s first 100-point score. As a result, Ellie had few bottles to offer of the 600 case production off the 3.5-acre Laki’s Vineyard. She made it perfectly clear that she didn’t care how many bottles WineAccess sold, but was willing to do “whatever was necessary” to have WineAccess direct its membership to the Eleven Eleven barrel room.

Go figure.

We listened intently to Ellie. As always, we were polite. Some might even say charming. Ellie was clearly passionate about her new endeavor. She recounted the serendipitous story of her chance meeting with Aurelien on a transatlantic flight, and how that first conversation at 30,000 feet laid the groundwork for Eleven Eleven. Later, we walked the rock-strewn rows of Laki’s Vineyard, scooped up the soil and let it sift through our hands, just as Kirk Venge had done before the most talented young winemaker in the valley signed on the dotted line.

But, truthfully, we were still unconvinced until we entered Eleven Eleven’s barrel room and were treated to the most mesmerizing Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon tasting since the early days of Harlan Estate.

In our opinion, Napa Valley’s greatest wine is Harlan Estate. We’ve been collecting Bill Harlan’s world-class Bordeaux blend since the release of the 1994, and still hold at least one bottle of each of the last 17 vintages in our cellars. What we’ve always found so astonishing about Harlan Estate is how wines harvested at such extreme ripeness can age so gracefully. The 1995, which Parker described as “extravagantly rich” on release, was in rare form last Thanksgiving, not only showing little sign of its 17 years in bottle, but also displaying Château Margaux-like elegance, precision, and tension.

Is the hottest new Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley, Kirk Venge’s Eleven Eleven, reminiscent of Harlan Estate? Very much so.

Much like Harlan Estate, Venge pushed the envelope on maturity in 2012. Harvested on October 31st at 27 Brix— almost two weeks after many of its neighbors — Kirk treated the small-berry clusters to a six-day cold soak before inoculation. Comprised entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine was barrel-fermented for 22 months in 75% new French cooperage. Bottled unfiltered to preserve textural and mineral complexity, total production was a mere 850 cases.

Dark purple. Full force aromas of blackberry, black cherry jam, violets, and camphor, framed by new-wood vanilla. Massively concentrated on the attack, dense and chewy in texture, filled with a lavish mix of mountain blueberry, black chocolate, and espresso bean. After an hour in oversized Riedel, the 2012 “Laki’s Vineyard” starts to shed its baby fat, reining itself in, now terrifically focused and finely delineated, finishing with textbook round Napa Valley tannins, arguing for a 15-year slumber in the coolest of cellars. Wow.

$125/bottle on release. And yes, in the end, Ellie did “whatever it took” to lure the WineAccess faithful to her cellar door. Offered for $65 this morning. ALL BUYERS of four bottles or more will receive a personalized invitation for two from the winery for a wine-and-cheese pairing, including local artisan cheeses and Fatted Calf Charcuterie and a seat at the Eleven Eleven tasting table, where the 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 will be poured, the latter two from barrel. NOT TO BE MISSED.