Lerner Project Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2019

While working as a leading wood pallet vendor in the supply chain side of the wine industry, Stu Lerner took on many influential clients such as Silver Oak, the iconic Opus One, and his very first customer, Robert Mondavi himself. As his business and client list grew, Stu found himself with an all-access pass to the world of winemaking. If he had five or six sales calls in a day, he would visit five or six tasting rooms and quickly became a purveyor and collector. After forty successful years in Napa Valley and Sonoma County, it was only natural that Stu's attention would shift in a different, but related, direction. Nearing retirement in 2014, Stu's wife, Karen, recalls him saying quite prophetically that "if I ever made a wine, it would have to be something I'd also want to buy myself," and before long, the search for a winemaker began.

Winemaking is all about relationships, and none is more important than that between winemaker and vineyard. Russell Bevan (Tench Vineyards, Bevan Cellars, PerUs, Institution) is proof of this. Named Wine Spectator's Winemaker of the Year back in 2015, few could have foreseen how high this star would rise. Dazzling many with his hedonistic approach to Cabernet Sauvignon, Russell's specialty is unabashedly pleasure-serving Napa Valley red wine. So it is no surprise that he caught Stu and Karen's attention early in their hunt for a collaborator.

"I handpicked our winemaker. I've bought from all the top winemakers in Napa Valley, and Russell Bevan was my choice because his palate and my palate seemed to fit best." – Stu Lerner

Russell oversees every facet of the production of his world-class wines, beginning in the vineyard and ending at the blending table, with focused, intended decisions made at every step. The intimate level at which Russell knows each barrel of wine included in a given blend complements the back-busting work of perennial "intern-of-the-year" and company namesake, Stu Lerner. The owner proudly scoops leaves from the sorting table, cleans the fruit bins, and sweeps the floors. So much for retirement!

Aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak, this wine from the Oakville appellation is a stellar addition to the Lerner Project lineup. Russell selected three French coopers for the barrel aging to add individual personality and nuance to the wine, with 60% from Darnajou, 30% from Taransaud, and 10% from Gamba. In true Bevan winemaking style, this Cabernet is lush with voluptuous, ripe red fruits and tantalizing baking spices on the nose. The palate is big with seamlessly integrated tannins and energetic acidity to lift through the lasting finish. While balanced and fresh, hold out as long as you can because this Oakville Cabernet will show the test of time, and we can't wait to see what's in store over the next 15 years.