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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,

1985 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow

12.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage

1978 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

1-bottle Lot, Wood Case, 9.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage; light writing on label; signed by the winemaker; Case condition issue

RP  98   

1980 Beringer Lemmon-Chabot Vineyard Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

9.0ltr

Light signs of past seepage; label condition issue; 11cm ullage; exposed cork; missing capsule

WS  90   

1980 Beringer Lemmon-Chabot Vineyard Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

1-bottle Lot, Wood Case, 9.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; light label condition issue; signed by the winemaker; fill level is 5.5cm below the wax capsule; Light case condition issue

WS  90   

2002 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; signs of past seepage; light label condition issue

RP  96   
WS  93   
WE  91   

1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

RP  100   
WS  97   
ST  94   
JR  17   
WS  #5 of 2000   

1983 Joseph Phelps Insignia Auction Reserve

6.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; light label condition issue

2009 Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; signs of past seepage; etched bottle

WA  98   
WE  97   
WS  96   
ST  94-96   

2009 Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon

1-bottle Lot, Wood Case, 6.0ltr

Etched bottle; Light case condition issue

WA  98   
WE  97   
WS  96   
ST  94-96   

2002 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1-bottle Lot, Wood Case, 6.0ltr

WS  90   

1997 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Capsule condition issue; signs of past seepage; top shoulder fill

ST  93+    
RP  92   
WE  91   

1999 Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Light label condition issue

2002 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

RP  96+    
ST  93   
WE  93   

2004 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

RP  94+    
ST  93   
JR  17.5   

1998 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23

6.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue

2005 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue

RP  95   
WS  95   
VN  93   
JR  17.5   

2006 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; light label condition issue

RP  96   
ST  94   
WS  93   

1990 Dalla Valle Maya

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

WS  97   
RP  96   
ST  93   

1996 Dalla Valle Maya

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

RP  96   
ST  95   
WS  92   

1997 Dalla Valle Maya

6.0ltr

RP  99   
ST  95+    

1999 Dalla Valle Maya

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

RP  97+    
ST  96   
WS  95   

2003 Grace Family Blank Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

2004 Grace Family Blank Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Etched bottle

2000 Grace Family Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

Light capsule condition issue; etched bottle

ST  91-93   
RP  88-90   

2001 Grace Family Cabernet Sauvignon

6.0ltr

ST  92   
WS  91