2014 Moundsman Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Napa Valley 750 ml

Exactly six years ago, we found ourselves in the back seat of a dusty, dirty 4X4, being driven to a vineyard in Rutherford. The grape-grower at the wheel preferred to let his bloodhound Rusty ride shotgun. We were sandwiched between a pile of notebooks and a box of clinking wine glasses, and our espressos hadn’t quite kicked in… but this was a critical meeting.

We had one shot to secure the grapes that typically go into the winery’s flagship Reserve Cabernets (which sell for over $200 a bottle). A 6:30 a.m. meeting meant we were first in line, which is exactly where the line ended.

The 2014 growing season was the third of the drought years, and at the time we didn’t know that Wine Spectator would declare it a “dream vintage.” Neither did the owners of the vineyard we were about to visit, and the drought had the growers on edge—which gave us the upper hand in negotiations. That’s why we’re able to offer the 2014 Moundsman Cabernet Sauvignon, from a single-site in Rutherford, to you today for a song.

The Cabernet grapes come from an estate that Parker has praised for its “profound” Cabernet that is “not for the shy,” which he considers “among the most densely colored, powerful, concentrated wines made in Napa Valley.” Powerfully built with a deep ruby hue, this Cabernet exudes richness expressed in layers of ripe red fruit and blackberry preserves, fine French cedar spices and savory notes, all underscored by soft, six-year-old tannins.

The Wine Access members who got in on the first release of this wine have echoed Parker’s rave reviews for this estate, calling the ‘14 Moundsman “Big, rich, and burly,” and “Great wine from Rutherford.” Other 5-star reviewers chimed in with “this wine just seems to get better each time I taste it.” and “Great. As good as Dominus and several very pricey cabs. Need more.” 

Today is your chance, while the final cases of this stunning 2014 remain. 

The fella responsible for farming the pristine fruit that went into this wine was our early-morning driver. We can’t tell you who he is, but we can tell you that he’s a true Moundsman—a multigenerational grape-grower and farmer who really loves dirt. “Paydirt,” as he calls it.  

Winemakers love to talk about how “wine is made in the vineyard,” and the winemaker always gets the glory. But the Moundsman? He’s the unsung hero, the digger, the cultivator who has given his all to give us a beautiful bottle of wine. And he knows the whole history of Napa Valley, including all the gossip: Who really planted what, who really dry farms, who cuts corners, who doesn’t. As we neared the vineyard in Rutherford, the Moundsman pointed to a neighboring site. “They say they never irrigate, but I’ve heard sprinklers going at 3:00 a.m.,” he said, shaking his head slowly.

Remember, this was July of 2014, and the grapes were still hanging—no reviews, no critical praise yet. But we knew a good thing when we saw AND tasted it. From the truck, the Moundsman uncorked a few bottles that had been resting next to Rusty in the front seat so we could taste samples of the 2013 vintage (Parker’s greatest “in 37 years”). It certainly had the opulence we expect from Napa wines like Insignia, but it also held the firm tannic structure we love from Rutherford Cabernet. We knew we’d hit “paydirt,” and wasted no time negotiating.

A few hours later, over burgers and beers at Rutherford Grill, we inked the deal. The old familiar saying, “It takes a lot of beer to make great wine,” never seemed so right for a toast. 

But our success and the Moundsman’s hard work is your reward: We waited five years to release this Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that otherwise might have been unobtainable. Hand-picked, aged 18 months in French oak, and bottled in July of 2016, this Cabernet has been perfectly stored in our temperature-controlled cellar and is ready to ship to you.

Join us and raise a glass to the Moundsman.