Sire Estate Houyi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018

Only sometimes do we have an opportunity to feature older vintages at ACME, and seldom do library wines make it into our club curations.  Therefore, the team was elated to discover the hidden gem Sire Estate, which has been quietly making 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from some of Napa’s premier vineyard sites since 2012.  This tiny brand has flown mostly under the radar since its inaugural release.  It is a sleeping giant with heavy hitter Julien Fayard behind the wheel, producing less than 200 cases of pure, unadulterated Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with each vintage.

Growing up in Northern California and attending the De La Salle High School run by the Christian Brothers (yes, those Christian Brothers), Tom Buck gained an appreciation for Napa Valley, winemaking, and the history of the industry in our small valley.  Between yearly summer retreats hosted by the Christian Brothers on Mt Veeder to his part-time work as a tour guide and driver in wine country, Tom cemented his passion for educating others on wine and sharing Napa’s rich winemaking past.  Then, while studying to earn his post-graduate teaching certification, Tom worked his first grape harvest and was smitten.  The magic of harvest stuck with Tom, and he soon realized he didn’t want to teach just anything; his field of study would be wine.  This calling led him to an eventual purchase of Beau Wine Tours, where he remains President and CEO today, and he continues to share the world of wine with wine-country visitors year-round.

As Tom laid the groundwork for starting a personal label, he vetted multiple candidates and determined Julien Fayard best adhered to the philosophies he desired in his winemaking partner.  These shared values honed in on perfecting Cabernet Sauvignon from excellent vineyard sources, making wine only when grapes from the “finest pedigree” vines were available.  Julien can undoubtedly be considered a Cabernet winemaking “thoroughbred” with harvests and experience in Bordeaux at Château Lafite-Rothschild and Napa Valley as Philippe Melka’s right-hand man.  Now the Winemaker & Proprietor of Fayard Winemaking, he consults for brands such as Covert, Somnium, and Purlieu while crafting his label, Julien Fayard Wines.  100% Cabernet Sauvignon from single-vineyard sources is right up his alley as he feels, in his own words, “As a winemaker, my job is to bring out the best qualities that the vines have provided.  I don’t seek to make a style of wine but more so to make wine that sings of its place, its history, and its uniqueness.”

One such prestigious place is the Houyi Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, where the 2018 Sire Estate sourced 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, all Clone 7.  The 40-acre property established by the Chang Family is planted with 22 acres of vines and soaks up all the morning sun at its 1300-ft elevation.  Houyi and Pritchard Hill are known for the density of sizeable volcanic rock in the soil, creating a perfect growing environment for concentrated berries.  The 2018 Sire exemplifies this concentration with its massive structure. In the words of Antonia Galloni, this wine is "a potent, explosive wine loaded with all the character that makes this hillside site in the Vaca Mountains so distinctive. Graphite, licorice, mocha, chocolate, clove, and blackberry jam infuse the 2018 with tremendous nuance as well as character...this is a tremendous showing."