Region: Napa Valley, California

Varietal: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Verdot

Tasting notes: A wine that is serious without expressing one dimensional, over-the-top oak notes, but rather a balanced profile at release with an age worthy, yet approachable tannin structure. On the palate, buzzing acidity adorns this otherwise powerfully full-bodied wine, made from a range of appellations, including Atlas Peak and Howell Mountain. Earthy dried herb, sage and cedar complement a core of lengthy oak, tannin and structure.

Producer: Heron wines was founded back in 1995 by Laely Heron. Having come from a family of travelers, Laely took the adventurous spirit her childhood fueled and ran with it straight into the wine industry. Laely was able to spend her junior year of college in France, and her time there had her falling in love with wine and enrolling at the Institute of Enology in Bordeaux. After university, she moved to San Francisco and became the first American employee of the Australian giant Lindeman’s. Two years later, she moved back to Europe – Denmark specifically – where she eventually started an import company, opened a restaurant, taught wine classes and began studies to become a Master of Wine.  In 1995 it was rare to see a woman owning a business in an industry traditionally populated by men.  Over the next decade, Heron would become a “cult wine” among master sommeliers and chefs, a favorite “by the glass” pour in the nation’s top restaurants and a consistent “Best Buy” in the wine press.

Vineyard and Winemaking: Made up of fruit from Howell Mountain, Atlas Peak, Rutherford, and Oakville, the wine is almost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon with trace amounts of Petite Verdot. Stylistically it is a perfect balance of all that Napa Valley has to offer, with ripe valley floor fruit paired with distinguished mountain fruit. The wine sees a slow extraction and long maceration at lower temperatures. Barrel-aged in 1 and 2-year-old French Oak from Seguin Moreau for 14 months.

This wine is part of our Valentine's Day Two-pack.