2022 Heir Apparent Proprietary Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

When we were starting out in this business, many of our Cabernet finds came from Napa locals who had access to incredible grapes and made wine in quantities too small to attract much attention. Today, wines like that still hit the terroir/value sweet spot in a way few others can match. 

Heir Apparent epitomizes this kind of winery. The key to their success is simple, and it starts and ends with EXCELLENT sourcing. Their Cabernet-based 2022 Proprietary Red—which comes from starry sites in Rutherford and Calistoga, two of the priciest neighborhoods in Napa—is packed to the brim with dark fruits like cassis, blackberry, and plum, and accented with raw chocolate and spice. 

Say the word “Rutherford” to a Napa wine lover, and high-dollar Cabernet immediately comes to mind. The exclusive AVA is home to Caymus, Scarecrow, Staglin Family Vineyard, Quintessa, and Sloan, just to name a few. The wines grown there are prized for their silky fruit and “Rutherford dust,” which often manifests as a dusty, cocoa-powdery filigree. While winemakers pay unspeakable sums for Rutherford grapes, Heir Apparent saves a bundle by sourcing top fruit under NDA.

Likewise, Calistoga is the perfect place to add luscious fruit to a blend. The town, at the north end of Napa, is one of the warmest areas in the Valley. It’s where wineries like Larkmead harness sunshine to produce bold wines with silky tannins. 

Heir Apparent marries those two here, sourcing a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc—which provides soaring aromatics—and 10% Merlot for a luxe bottling. In the cellar, the wine is treated royally, with an 18-month élevage in 60% new and 40% once-filled French oak barrels.