The Big Three 750 ml

Bold, full-bodied, decadent: California wines are larger than life. From the sun-baked stretches of Calistoga, where Jones Family Vineyards cultivates inky, rich Cabernet Sauvignon to the perfectly cellared Hidden Ridge, which lies atop Spring Mountain, California’s signature sunshine makes for unforgettable wines. The Big Three Set is a curated trio of bottles that bring full-bodied, fruit-driven California style to the forefront. Whether your cellar is already stocked with Golden State classics or you’re just beginning your vinous journey, these wines provide a snapshot of full-bodied, unbridled California style. 

2013 Jones Family Vineyards The Sisters 
Stephanie Jones Bailey and Heather Jones Melvin helm the Calistoga winery the family founded in 1996. The 2013 Jones “The Sisters” Cabernet Sauvignon delivers winemaking excellence from Thomas Rivers Brown for a fraction of his standard price. The 2013 shows opulent aromas of ripe black cherry, chocolate, lavender and cassis, and for the price, way outpunches its weight in the Napa Cabernet department.

2016 Idiosyncrasy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 
At the heart of wine is the concept of terroir, the expression of the unique character of place in the finished wine’s structure and flavor. Underlying terroir is the intervention of the winemaker, which at best creates something singular: idiosyncrasy. The 2016 Reserve is a step up in weight and body from the Napa Cabernet, meant for serious cult wine collectors to enjoy while their cellar is aging. The core of the blend hails from northern Napa near Knights Valley, where the warmth of Calistoga gives the wine density and richness of black and blue fruits, with the altitude of the vineyard contributes freshness and structure. A touch of Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot are blended in for perfume, breadth, and lush fruit respectively, then aged in 65% new French and Hungarian oak, giving the wine its rich, full-body, and complex profile.

2009 Hidden Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 55 Percent Slope Sonoma County
Hidden Ridge is set amidst Mayacamas mountain terrain so remote and rugged, 48 planted acres of Cabernet Sauvignon on the Sonoma side can only be accessed via 4-wheel-drive trucks and helicopters. Up a twisting, jagged path, this special plot exists in a land of extremes on the Sonoma County side of Spring Mountain. Dark, rich and layered, with tiers of dense dark berry, graphite-crushed rock, cedar, mocha and brownie flavors, ending with dried herb and tobacco accents, this collector’s item bottle was #32 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list in 2014—yet another impressive notch in the belt for 100-point winemaker Tim Milos.