Stolen Owl Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville 2019

On the road to achieving your dreams, you must be nimble, navigate challenges, and push forward despite it all. In 2017, Stolen Owl proprietor Brad Solso was thrilled when a friend offered him one ton of Malbec from his Knights Valley vineyard to start his wine label. Sadly, after years of planning and patience, the Tubbs fire burned through Knights Valley mere days before harvest, causing smoke taint and, ultimately, ruining his “to-be” first bottling. Even though the 2017 Malbec perished, the event led Brad to his winemaker, Chuck McKahn.  With Chuck leading the winemaking, new and exciting fruit sources came online, proving that when a door closes, a window opens.  Brad enthusiastically climbed through the “window” with Chuck and produced the first-ever Stolen Owl wine the very next year.

Even though its inaugural harvest was in 2018, the start of Stolen Owl indeed dates to 1985, when Brad’s first child was born. This celebratory event kickstarted a passion for collecting wine and, in due time, sharing that collection with each of his children. Brad prides himself on opening a bottle of each of his children’s birthyear wine every year to savor and reminisce. Living and working in San Francisco placed Brad and his wife, Mavis (a fellow oenophile), close enough to the action in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley to visit frequently and build a beautiful cellar. Finally, they moved from the city to St. Helena, where they quickly began planning an estate winery and plotting the beginnings of Stolen Owl.  In the early days, their new wine country home was overgrown and needed a little TLC.  During the early days, new visitors would be alerted to the property’s entrance with a flag depicting an owl.  One weekend, a mischievous soul plucked the flag from its pole and never returned it, which, in doing so, inadvertently birthed their label’s name.

If you are an Apex member who is also in Under the Radar (that’s right, you can double dip), you’ll recognize Chuck McKahn’s name from his Carignane we featured in 2023 under his label, McKahn Family Cellars. Chuck’s passion for wine started before he was old enough to enjoy it, at 15.  His curiosity for viticulture steered him towards Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where he earned an Enology degree in 2011.  Immediately after graduating, he joined the esteemed team at Chappellet Winery on Pritchard Hill, where Chuck worked as an assistant winemaker until 2016.  Then, at the impressively young age of 26, Chuck became the winemaker at William Harrison Winery in Rutherford.  After six years leading the WM Harrison team, he started Charles McKahn Wine Consulting, where Chuck and Brad’s paths met. Together, they’re taking Stolen Owl to the next level.

Stolen Owl’s 2019 Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to the artistry and craftsmanship of Brad and Chuck.  This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from a small vineyard on the valley floor, has been aged for 22 months in 70% new French oak.  The result is a wine that tantalizes the senses, with wafts of blackberry jam and black cherry, underscored by a hint of toasted oak.  As the wine breathes, delicate herbaceous and floral notes emerge, adding depth and complexity.  On the palate, the fine tannins lead to an elegant, long finish, inviting you to savor every sip.