2016 Hendry RED Hendry Vineyard Napa Valley 750 ml

Hendry made its name growing grapes for Robert Mondavi and Opus One. They’ve been named “one of Napa’s best-kept secrets” by the San Francisco Chronicle as well as one of the “Top 100 Wineries of 2021” by Wine & Spirits, and with the 2016 RED, they’ve delivered a luxurious, complex wine.

Hendry can do things others can’t, thanks to wisdom accrued over 80 years on the same land in the marine-influenced Mayacamas foothills. The block-by-block virtuosity they've earned over those decades guides them in assembling this estate blend, and delivers spectacular richness, restraint, and balance.

Hailing from a year the Wine Advocate called “the best, most consistent Napa Valley vintage among a string of five great years,” the 2016 RED had the power to handle 18 months in French oak barrels, 70% new. That extra polish made for a sumptuous package that’s dark, deep, and saturated, yet still in proportion and never heavy.

You’d be hard-pressed to find another Bordeaux-style Napa wine in which Petit Verdot and Malbec make up nearly 60% of the overall blend, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon combining for 14% of the mix, while plump Merlot fills out the middle.

It’s a rich and riveting wine, with warm blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and black-licorice flavors accented by bay leaf, mocha, and cedar. The Petit Verdot lends a powerful structure, while Malbec supplies a dense midpalate presence and high-toned, lifted fruit aromatics. Merlot contributes the fleshiness you expect from the amazing 2016 vintage, adding volume and roundness.