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Napa Valley

Napa Valley AVA is the most famous winemaking region in the United States and one of the most prestigious in the world. With nearly 43,000 acres of vineyards and more than 300 wineries, it is the heart of fine wine production in the United States. Winemaking started in Napa in 1838 when George C. Yount planted grapes and began producing wine commercially. Other winemaking pioneers followed in the late 19th century, including the founders of Charles Krug, Schramsberg, Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyards. An infestation of phylloxera, an insect that attacks vine roots, and the onset of Prohibition nearly wiped out the nascent Napa wine industry in the early 20th century. But by the late 1950s and early 1960s Robert Mondavi and other visionaries were producing quality wines easily distinguishable from the mass-produced jug wines made in California’s Central Valley. Napa Valley’s AVA was established in 1983, and today there are 16 sub-appellations within the Napa Valley AVA. Many grapes grow well in Napa’s Mediterranean climate, but the region is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay is also very successfully cultivated, and about 30% of the AVA’s acreage is planted to white grapes, with the majority of those grapes being Chardonnay,

1978 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; depressed cork; signs of past seepage; very top shoulder fill; label condition issue

WE  94   
RP  90   
WS  90   
MB  ****   

1982 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

WS  94   
2 available
Bid *

1982 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage

WS  94   

1989 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace

1-bottle Lot, Wood Case, 3.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; Light case condition issue

1995 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

WS  93   
RP  90   

1996 Colgin Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Light writing on label

RP  97   
WS  94   
ST  93   

1996 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; signed by the winemaker

RP  91   
ST  89-92   

1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia

3.0ltr

RP  100   
WS  97   
ST  94   
JR  17   
WS  #5 of 2000   
2 available
Bid *

1998 Vineyard 29 Proprietary Red

3.0ltr

Etched bottle

RP  90   
4 available
Bid *

1998 Hartwell Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; etched bottle

WE  90   

1998 Clark-Claudon Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; etched bottle

RP  94   

1998 Barbour Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; etched bottle

RP  88-90   

1999 Pillar Rock Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

WS  91   

1999 Dolce St. Nicholas

3.0ltr

Etched bottle

2000 Miner Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Etched bottle

2001 Vineyard 29 Proprietary Red

3.0ltr

Etched bottle; exposed cork

RP  96   
ST  89-90   

2002 Shafer Vineyards Merlot

3.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue

RP  93   
ST  90   

2002 Nickel and Nickel Napa Valley Wine Auction Rock Cairn Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Etched bottle

2002 Nickel and Nickel Tench Vineyard Napa Valley Wine Auction Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Etched bottle

2002 Lail J. Daniel Cuvee

3.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; light label condition issue

RP  94   
WS  92   

2003 La Sirena Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; signed bottle; etched bottle

RP  93   

2004 Terra Valentine Valentine's Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage

2005 Oakville Winegrowers Oakville Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Etched bottle

2006 Auction Napa Valley Lot 293 Round Pond Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

1-bottle Lot, Wood Case, 3.0ltr

2007 Oakville Winegrowers Oakville Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon

3.0ltr

Etched bottle