2015 Halpin Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 750 ml

Halpin’s Napa Cabernet: A “Screaming Deal”

Halpin loves Napa Cabernet. And “love” is perhaps an understatement. He’s amassed a collection of impressive bottles that would make any Napa Cab aficionado swoon: verticals of Silver Oak, Opus One, and Mondavi To Kalon, bottles of Phelps’ “Insignia,” Colgin, Scarecrow, and Harlan of course. “I’ve got a problem,” he admits, jokingly.

“It’s not a problem as long as you’re pouring from your private stash!” we like to kid him.  

But even though Halpin obsesses over his triple-digit prized Cabs, he becomes fanatical in his quest for delicious Cabernet priced to stockpile by the case. Over an unforgettable dinner he hosted at Charlie Palmer Steak in Napa’s Archer Hotel earlier this year, we learned just how far Halpin was willing to go to simplify his quest. Here’s what happened the night we first tasted Halpin’s own Napa Cabernet—a bottle you can’t get anywhere, except Wine Access. In its inaugural release, the first bottles racked up an impressive 4.5 star rating from Wine Access loyalists.

But, back to our dinner—Halpin, ever the showman, had something up his sleeve even we didn’t expect.

“Excuse me, for a moment,” Halpin said, then quickly disappeared into the kitchen.

After about 10 minutes, Halpin emerged—dressed in a white tuxedo and black bowtie, like a server at The Ritz circa 1969. Palmer’s GM followed, with two 21-day dry-aged bone-in tomahawk and porterhouse steaks, and handed Halpin the serving utensils. “I learned to carve tableside working at The French Laundry,” he quipped.

Master Sommelier Sur Lucero, who was with us (and who actually worked at The French Laundry) shot back, “They’d never let you in!” And after a few more sly remarks—and Halpin’s having to explain to some nearby diners that he wasn’t, in fact, a “real waiter”—it was time to put aside the schtick and get to the big reveal: bottles of his own 2015 Halpin Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  

“I can’t disclose the winery source, but I can tell you I got a screaming deal,” Halpin said, adjusting his bowtie. “Unlike the previous two bountiful growing seasons, 2015 was a short crop,” he explained, rather seriously, “with grape yields down in areas as much as 60 percent. Naturally, a decrease in supply comes with price hikes,” he continued. “But as you know, I started inking contracts even before the growing season kicked in, and I was locked into a rate that’d send most pickers to the picket lines!” We scoffed at the glib remark. “Get to the wine!” we clamored.

“Okay, okay! We made 300 cases—just 12 barrels. Taste!” he shouted, raising a glass in the air.

From a deep ruby color came black fruit notes, and crème-de-cassis mingling with red and purple florals. The first sip reveals a full-bodied Napa Cabernet, with moderate tannins and a fresh lift to the wine. It was almost too easy to swallow, but we continued swirling it around, which layered in softer, wild berry fruit, like just-picked raspberry and black cherry, leading to a wonderful crushed-herb finish underscored by gentle oak notes.

We pressed for more details, but all Halpin would reveal was that the Cabernet comes from a winery with property in the foothills and benchlands of Atlas Peak, in the Napa Valley AVA. Robert Parker has been a longtime fan, bestowing more than 30 wines with 90+ ratings, and the flagship Cabernet has earned a recent string of 92 to 94+ points, with a bottle price of $100.   

The 2015 vintage earned 97 points from Parker’s Advocate, which called it an “Extraordinary” year. Critic Antonio Galloni has said the 2015s are "thrilling at the top." Had Galloni been with us at Charlie Palmer, he would have to agree that the 2015 Halpin Napa Cabernet belongs in this upper echelon. Suffice it to say, two bottles of Halpin’s Cabernet were a fraction of the cost of the steaks. In fact, we could have had four bottles of Halpin for the price of the Porterhouse alone.

But like anything in life, you have to pick your battles—ahem, we mean, bottles—wisely.