2016 Ideology Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District 750 ml

There was already a lot of wine on the table. Probably too much—but George wanted to open another bottle.

It was one of those picture-perfect early summer nights, with thick steaks smoldering on the grill and laughter floating on the breeze. There was a lot of incredible, big-name Napa Cab open already, but George is one of those collectors… and we never say no when he asks if he can open something cool.

The second he poured it into our glasses, it was clear this was special stuff. With an intense nose of black currant compote and Sumatran coffee, shading to a fleeting, floral edge, this felt familiar and like it could be from a Very Big Name—and knowing George, it likely was. When, laughing, he showed us the label, it dawned on us why.

It was Ideology’s 2016 Cabernet, a top bottling from a winery Wine Spectator called a “Hidden gem in Napa Valley.” 

We had turned George onto the winery with our wildly successful offer of the 2014 vintage (he’s a big-time collector and longtime Wine Access member) and he’s followed them since, eager to show us the best Cab they’ve made—and hoping we’d put on our negotiating gloves and score another great deal. George had made his point, so we got on the phone with proprietor Bob Williamson the next morning and secured an exclusive allocation of this modern classic—at a very special Wine Access price. 

Today, this dazzling 2016 is available for up to $20 off the winery’s price, just $45 per bottle while our 54 cases last—we had 56, but George already claimed two.

Normally, Napa Cabernets like Ideology command prices that start at $80 and climb toward the stratosphere, meaning the best most of us can do is read the glowing tasting notes and dream of swirling a dark, generous red wine like this on special occasions. But today presents a unique chance to add an expressive, aromatic, cellar-worthy Cabernet to your collection at a price that makes it possibile to drink premier Napa Cabernet Monday through Friday. 

Ideology is a winery that deserves more exposure. Located just south of the famed Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, where alluvial soils provide ideal conditions for dense and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon, they’ve consistently received high scores from both Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast. And this is the best vintage we’ve ever tasted from them, a product of a legendary year.

The 2016 vintage is one of those years in Napa that collectors will talk about forever—think 1982 in Bordeaux or 2005 in Burgundy and you’re in the same ballpark. Wine Spectator thinks it’s the best year since the legendary 1997, and praises their “intense fruit against the backdrop of their varying terroirs” while bestowing a 98 point score on the year.

The 2016 Ideology Cabernet Sauvignon embodies the ideal conditions of the vintage perfectly. Quality and pedigree like this typically start at twice the price.