2014 Karo-Kann Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Napa Valley 750 ml

The grapes in this multilayered 2014 Karo-Kann Rutherford Cabernet come with a pedigree that reads like a who’s who of chart-topping wines. As always, winemaker Britt Nichols had to agree to a vow of secrecy when she accepted the offer of this fruit, but there’s just no hiding the effusive sense of power and complexity that those legendary vineyard sites have given to this wine.

In fact, all three lots in this blend hail from sites that produced top-scoring wines  in the outstanding 2014 vintage: One vineyard scored 99 points for its Cab, which Jeb Dunnuck adored for its “awesome depth” and ”purity.” Another charmed Vinous to the tune of 94 points for its “super classic” Cabernet quality and powerful tannins. Finally, Britt rounded out the blend with Cabernet Franc that scored 100 points in ‘14—the stellar grapes add a subtle sense of aromatic lift that throws the power of the rest of the miraculous blend into startlingly delicious relief.

When Head of Wine Vanessa Conlin first tasted this single-AVA Karo-Kann at our Napa office, she was at a loss for words. She just kept on swirling and sipping and staring at the glass with a perplexed look on her face, the concentrated black cherry, pomegranate, and dark chocolate flavors lingering on her tongue. “How,” she finally asked Britt, “did you do this for $30, and with a library release, no less? This is one of the best 2014s I’ve tasted!”

Britt laughed and smiled. “When you’ve been in the wine world as long as I have, you hear things…” She let her voice trail off, and Vanessa knew not to press too hard. Britt and her husband, winemaker Ry Richards, are both California natives with a network in the business as interconnected as a spider web. They know everyone—literally, it often seems!—and when their friends and colleagues have extra fruit that they end up not being able to use in their top blends, Britt and Ry are the first people to get the call.

Hailing from the 2014 vintage, which Vinous called “aromatically expressive, rich and energetic, with striking balance and plenty of potential,” this Karo-Kann Rutherford Cabernet is a perfect embodiment of all that the legendary year has to offer. It’s been perfectly cellared since being bottled, and now, finally, is inching toward its peak.

The only downside is that Britt didn’t put all that much aside. Which means one thing: You’ll have to claim your allotment while you can. Because when it’s gone, that’s it. Fortunately, it’s priced at a fraction of what it would cost to buy a single bottle from some of the producers whose incredible fruit went into it.

This is a Napa Cab-lover’s dream, and the rare one that doesn’t require spending a fortune.