2018 Hudson Phoenix Carneros Napa Valley 750 ml

Hudson Napa Valley’s client list reads like a who’s who of California winemakers. Names like Kongsgaard, Kistler, Arietta, and Aubert all depend on the Hudson vineyards to maintain their legendary quality levels—but some of the best grapes are reserved for Lee and Christina Hudson’s own label. 

We’ve known Lee for over a decade, and spent years trying to secure their Hudson wines for Wine Access members—when we finally did, members like you snapped up every bottle of Phoenix Lee and Christina shared with us. Today, we're thrilled that we have a second allocation of the 2018 Phoenix red, a stunning Bordeaux lookalike that channels Napa power with elegance and grace. 

Phoenix is a decadent homage to Cheval Blanc and the finest wines of St.-Émilion, the great wines from the Right Bank of Bordeaux based not on Cabernet Sauvignon, but rather on Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Most years sold primarily through their wine club, it’s a powerhouse of a red wine, and a testament to the ability of Merlot and Cabernet Franc to thrive in Carneros’ cool, windy hills, as well as the red clay soils that resemble those in the grapes’ homeland on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. It’s an absolute stunner—but unlike the $150+ bottles that the Hudsons provide fruit for, this clocks in at just $65 per bottle.

From the first inhale, it was immediately apparent that the ‘18 Phoenix was going to be one of the best Napa wines we tried this year. The wine is a deep purple in the glass, with bold aromas of dark cherries and delicate alpine flowers complemented by hints of wild strawberry and spice. On the palate, there’s plenty of richness from the Merlot, but structure and length from the Cabernet Franc. It’s all about brambly red and black fruits, with blackberries and red currant jam leading to a striking minerality, driven by flavors of graphite, cedar, and a beautiful accent of cocoa powder. The wine is approachable—delicious and long in the mouth now—but clearly has the structure and power to age.

We remember being absolutely wowed the first time we visited Lee Hudson’s ranch. We're used to seeing impeccably farmed vineyards—but Hudson was something else. It was obvious that the man behind the estate was a visionary. He’d cultivated a working, polycultural farm with an astonishing diversity of plants and animals—all with the goal of providing the best possible environment to grow grapes. Everything was thought out, and his attention to detail was astonishing.

Having grown to know Lee over the years, this isn’t surprising—he’s been revolutionary in his approach to grape farming. When he first planted the site in ‘81, most grapegrowers had a farmer’s mindset, favoring yields over quality. But Lee had worked at the legendary Domaine Dujac in Burgundy, witnessing first-hand how conscientious farming impacted the finished wines. That sort of attitude is common in Napa today, and Lee is a big reason why. But he certainly hasn’t rested on his laurels, and today, Hudson is still at the vanguard of California viticulture.

In the winery, longstanding winemaker Clayton Kirchhoff treats the 2018 Phoenix the same way that Hudson’s clients make their $150+ bottlings. A native-yeast fermentation provides complexity, and a carefully judged 80% new oak brings structure and exotic hints of vanilla and cocoa to the table. The barrels are crafted by the top coopers out there—Taransaud, François Frères, Darnajou, and Sylvain—so their impact on the wine is subtle in terms of flavor, but profound in the wine’s velvet texture and ability to age.

We’ve got quite a collection of Hudson Ranch wines in our cellars, but we made room for cases of this. It’s special stuff, and it was well worth all the time and effort it’s taken to secure some for you today.