2016 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley 750 ml

When we last offered Rudius’ Farella Vineyard Cabernet, Wine Access members couldn’t help but respond with superlatives. One even called it “the perfect Napa Cab.” This rich, composed, 95-point 2016—from TOR’s “rising star” winemaker and a best-ever Napa vintage—is an even more perfect deal.  

It’s the picture of single-vineyard Coombsville refinement, a black-fruited, herb-flecked sensation that wow-ed our Wine Team on the first sip. The critics had a similar experience: “The palate is beautifully elegant, offering bold freshness and fine-grained tannins,” raved Wine Advocate, while Jeb Dunnuck said, “readers looking for a brilliant Napa Cabernet under $100 should snatch up the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard.”

All that praise is a testament to the mastery of 100-point winemaker Jeff Ames, who knows exactly how to coax brilliance from the iconic Farella Vineyard. Ames has honed his Cabernet toolkit making wines for Schrader, Tor Kenward, Maybach, and Outpost, all under the legendary Thomas Rivers Brown. And he’s been stockpiling critical praise since founding Rudius in 2005, so much that Robert Parker has declared Ames “a name to reckon with.” 

In the Farella Vineyard, Ames has tapped a site located in the heart of Coombsville, one of Napa’s most coveted Cabernet playgrounds. Not only that, but he’s crafted a 2016 that Vinous called “a terrific example of the Coombsville appellation.” That’s big-time praise, considering the region has inspired exquisite Cabs from some of Napa Valley's top producers, including Paul Hobbs ($428), Arietta ($233), and Purlieu ($216). 

Napa’s elite winemakers are drawn to Coombsville, and this site in particular, because of the constant cleansing breezes from the San Pablo Bay, which help prolong the growing season, allowing Cabernet grapes to ripen fully while maintaining fresh natural acidity. The 2016 hails from a section nicknamed “The Rockpile Block,” where low amounts of topsoil and 850-foot elevation make the grapes struggle, resulting in a deep concentration. 27 months in French oak unlocks a rich complexity, giving the wine an excellent, polished mouthfeel. 

Wine Spectator has written that Ames “has become one of Napa's rising stars,” pointing out that “Rudius is named for the wooden sword that was presented to a gladiator when freed by the emperor of Rome,” and that for Ames it represents “his mission to make wine in his own style.” We love his style, and so do Wine Access members—don’t miss this opportunity to experience that excellence at an unbelievable price.