2014 Anarchist Wine Co. The Philosopher Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

Sitting on a blind judging panel at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, we swirled an opaque ruby wine, then took in its massive aroma: dark cherry mingled with fresh bramble, cocoa, and espresso tones. It had all the telltales of one of the blockbuster names of California, a monster of a wine whose name has become shorthand for opulent and dense red blends. But it couldn’t be, could it? At a competition in 2019, had someone actually entered…

No way, we thought, as we took a sip. But there it was: black fruit wrapped around a powerful juicy core, finishing with super-smooth, velvety tannins. If this wasn’t the iconic red with the gothic label, it was a dead ringer—and a wine that Wine Access members would absolutely flip for.

Only when we were having a cocktail in the hotel bar did one of the other panelists speak up: “Man, that one super-deep red?” he said, as he sipped a scotch on the rocks. “For a second, I thought that was The Pr-“

“Us too!” we interrupted. Turns out that the whole panel had been thinking the same thing about the Anarchist Wine Co.’s The Philosopher—even the name reminded everybody of the iconic wine.

Since you’re reading this, you know we delivered the wine to Wine Access members, and The Philosopher has become a hit, racking up a slew of four- and five-star ratings. “An excellent wine,” one fan wrote. “After two years of living in Europe, I was pleased to find this signature expression of what I missed and love about Napa blends.” We snapped up as much of their new vintage as we could, and came away with a smashing deal for our lovers of full-bodied, full-throttle red blends.

The Philosopher packs all the fruit of a robust Cabernet-dominant blend—the other grapes are Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot—with a texture as silky as the one associated with its big-name doppelganger. This is what wine lovers think of when they think “Napa Valley Red Blend.” It’s an opaque ruby color with tons of dark fruit, deep notes of chocolate and coffee, and a tinge of lavender. The tannins can stand up to any red meat off the grill, but are smooth enough to make this the perfect wine for the California Cabernet lover whose favorite red-wine pairing is a second glass.  

The 2014 vintage was excellent in Napa Valley, and most wineries are tapped out, so a find like this one is rare.Think of your upcoming plans, and think of how much better they’ll be with a glass—or a case—of The Philosopher close at hand.