Loveland Lee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019

We are so incredibly fortunate at ACME to announce the debut of new wine labels almost weekly. But it is a rarer and greater pleasure to introduce our clientele to inaugural estate wines. And even more uncommon still, to proclaim the arrival of a premier estate wine from a locale as widely esteemed as Pritchard Hill. Well, that’s just what we did last year when we introduced the world to the incredible Loveland-Lee Cabernet Sauvignon. Over the last few decades, Pritchard Hill has become synonymous with some of the most highly coveted (and expensive) wines in Napa Valley, among them Ovid, Continuum, and Colgin. And it gives us utmost gladness when the vintner is 100% hands-on, has worked so hard, and is simultaneously passionate and yet humble. Such is the case with David McBride, the all-around grape grower, winemaker, and vintner behind this sophomore vintage: Loveland Lee Cabernet Sauvignon 2019. We couldn’t believe how wildly popular last year’s debut was with our clients. Dare we say you’ll like this vintage even more?!

In 1966, David and his sister embarked on an epic road trip to Napa, and they instantly fell in love with wine and the valley's natural beauty. David ultimately pursued a career in the software industry, but his time in Napa, and the marvelous wines he had tasted, continuously harkened him back across the decades. In 2006, David purchased just a few scant, unplanted acres on the steep, rocky slopes of Pritchard Hill, overlooking Lake Hennessey. Since then, he has been learning to farm and make wine from his neighbors; not too shabby when your property is adjacent to the likes of Bryant Family and a stone’s throw from Chappellet. David tends to just 1.5 acres of vines, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. He is also a great admirer of the classic style of Napa Cabernet he savored on his first visit: as such, this wine is elegant, structured, and most of all, reserved, just like him. And at $127 a bottle this wine is a steal for Pritchard Hill!

This wine is a glorious 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot aged 22 months in once-used French oak barrels. This ruby-hued wine unfurls with seductive aromas of blackberry preserve, cardamom, and lilac petals. The palate is awash with lovely black cherry notes, full-bodied texture, and fine-grained tannins. This Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is eminently enjoyable now, but the patient will reap the rewards of laying it down for five to seven years in the cellar. Just 70 cases produced!