2016 Ilaria Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is sold out.

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    2016 Ilaria Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml

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    Sign up to receive notifications when wines from this producer become available.
    • Curated by unrivaled experts
    • Choose your delivery date
    • Temperature controlled shipping options
    • Get credited back if a wine fails to impress

    A Low-Profile Cabernet That Aims High

    A Low-Profile Cabernet That Aims High

    The 2016 Ilaria Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is the definition of an under-the-radar blockbuster, and a name you should have at the tip of your tongue. Full-bodied and generous, with layers of red, black and blue fruits, graphite, and super-silky tannins—this is the kind of wine that makes Napa what it is. This stunner stands alongside 2016 wines from Alpha Omega, Nickel & Nickel, and a who’s who of other big-name Cabernets, at a fraction of their triple-digit prices.​

    There’s the Napa everybody knows—the Mondavis and the Caymuses and the big names that won the Judgment of Paris and put Napa Valley on the map. And then there is the Napa that the insiders know. The valley where accomplished winemakers who hold high positions at those big-name wineries sneak off to do their own thing: Start their own labels, find their own grapes, work after hours, and produce tiny quantities of wines that rarely see a retail shelf or a restaurant wine list.

    Ilaria is the personal label of winemaker Anna Monticelli, whose enology degree from UC Davis—and her whole career path—have been serendipitous: She went to Davis seeking to follow in her physician father’s footsteps, but changed paths when an Intro to Winemaking course wooed her to the wine world. From that point on, Anna sought out the best training, spending a harvest at Château Cheval Blanc. When she returned to the States, she went to work as assistant winemaker at Seavey Vineyard and at cult Cabernet producer Bryant Family, where she worked alongside the 100-point legend Philippe Melka (Dana Estates, Lail). During her four vintages with Melka, Bryant Family clocked several perfection-chasing 97+- and 98-point wines.

    In 2007, Anna took the winemaker job at Piña Napa Valley, and that is where she steals away to make her Ilaria Napa Valley Cabernet. Sourced from Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, and St. Helena, Ilaria’s current production stands at a mere 320 cases. Our tiny allocation will go to the Wine Access friends who are quick on the draw, and eager for a true under-the-radar gem from a top Napa talent.