2018 GAIT Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml

We thought our buddy Trevor Sheehan had beat the odds in crafting his Technique Proprietary Red—a sellout and instant member-favorite that delivered Stags Leap grapes from $200 territory. Little did we know he had another gem up his sleeve. 

This time it’s a tiny-production Cabernet from two superb Rutherford vineyards nestled between Provenance and Alpha Omega

The 2018 GAIT Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon sings a luxurious tune with dark-fruited opulence intertwined with perfumed violet, dark cocoa, and fine graphite. It gives generously, like its high-end neighbors, with a finely textured Rutherford structure that feels like pure class. 

We shouldn’t have been surprised that Sheehan pulled off another overachieving red. The Napa Valley winemaker got his start over a decade ago making finely delineated bottles of Beckstoffer Chardonnay and sumptuous Howell Mountain Cabernet, and has never sourced grapes from less than the absolute best. 

Wine Access’ own Eduardo Dingler bought that fortuitous Chardonnay from Sheehan back in his sommelier days, and the resulting friendship yielded what can only be described today as a lights out Rutherford steal. 

We first tasted the 2018 GAIT with Sheehan on the patio at Angèle in Napa. Despite being 15 miles south of the Rutherford’s gravelly soils, we felt closer with each sip as the Reserve’s fine-grained tannins eloquently expressed the region’s famed “dusty” signature. 

When we asked our buddy how he was able to lock in such pedigreed fruit while delivering so much value, his response came with a tight-lipped smile. 

“An NDA.”

The only question that remained for us then was, “How much is there?” 

“Not enough,” Sheehan told us, “Just 50 cases.” 

“We’ll take it all,” we replied, “For Wine Access members only."