2018 Tempus Fugit Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

“What are we pouring?” we asked, coming in a few minutes late and slapping our friend Jay on the back. Jay had the rapt attention of the handful of restaurant buyers at his tasting table, so he smiled, poured a glass, and handed it to us, all while staying silent. 

After one sip, we were the speechless ones. 

Winemaker Weston Eidson is the man behind Silver Ghost Cabernet—an all-time Wine Access member favorite—and his expert fingerprints are all over the marvelous 2018 Tempus Fugit Red Wine. And by the time the glasses at the table were anywhere near empty, Jay had committed the entire production of Tempus Fugit to some of the best spots in Napa Valley.

This is the first vintage of the new label by Weston, who learned at the side of two Napa kingpins: Russell Bevan of Bevan Cellars, author of nearly 20 100-point wines, and Jason Moore, the brains and inimitable palate behind Modus Operandi. Thanks to their VIP connections, the sourcing behind this bottle reads like the Napa vineyard equivalent of the Social Register—NDA-protected names that had somms salivating.

Following a Left Bank script of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Petit Verdot, the vineyards behind this are so well-known we can barely even offer a hint about the origins. Think about some of the best-known blue-chip sites in Coombsville, St. Helena, and Rutherford, and you’re on the right track. Seriously. Add on 36 months in 40% new French oak, and you’ve got the glossy texture and aging potential of a bottle three times the price.