Like a Cabernet on creatine—dark, powerful, and wild
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
2019 OVIS Petit Verdot High Valley Lake County 750 ml
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
A Perfect Home for Petit Verdot
Lake County, just north of Napa, is California’s next great winemaking destination. Andy Beckstoffer is making a major play there—yes, the same Beckstoffer that farms the high-dollar To Kalon and George III vineyards in Napa—and big names up and down the state are exploring the rocky, rugged terrain.
Clay Shannon saw that potential over 25 years ago—and bought some of the most prized land in the region. His OVIS High Valley is made from the absolute best Petit Verdot block on the stunning property: terroir that deserves to rank among California’s best.
Shannon realized the potential for Lake County early. In 1996, he bought over 2,000 acres on a series of rocky slopes at an extreme 2,500 feet of elevation, overlooking California’s largest natural lake. Petit Verdot is particularly suited to this stunning vineyard. It’s a classic Bordeaux variety, which is traditionally blended into Cabernet and Merlot to add extra color and power. But it’s a late-ripener, so is sparsely planted in its home country.
In hot, rocky Lake County, though, the grape excels. Petit Verdot from Shannon’s site is like a Cabernet on creatine—it took two full years in barrel to tame. Now it’s a powerhouse bottle with plenty of wild blackberry, currant, and sagebrush flavors that demand time in a decanter to soften up.
On a recent trip there to see firsthand a property that’s the talk of the town, our Master Sommelier Sur Lucero was so impressed that he immediately locked down a tranche of this powerful wine for our Discovery Club. It’s a big wine, befitting a big estate and the sprawling vision of Clay Shannon.