Bevan Cellars 2023 'Ontogeny' Proprietary Red, Napa Valley

                                                  The best Napa Cabernet under $150. Limited. Russell Bevan clearly has the Midas touch. The ‘Ontogeny’ is always a masterful blend, sourced from vineyards that score as high as this cult-wine: Tench, Sugarloaf, Harbison, Wildfoote, Saunders, and Sage Ridge. Enthralling masses of cassis and currant alongside graphite, tapenade, and a chocolatey salinity. 97 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc, the Bevan 2023 Ontogeny shows ripe, sexy levels of blue fruits, darker chocolate, graphite, and even a kiss of minerality. It's full-bodied, round, lush, and layered, with sweet tannins and a pleasure-bent profile that's hard to resist. Drink this hedonistic pleasure bomb over the coming 15+ years. As always, this is an absolute brilliant Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that more than delivers the goods. Drink 2025-2040." Winery Notes: "We have to go back to the 2013 to find an Ontogeny that is this enthralling. The wine’s pedigree is special: Tench, Sugarloaf, Harbison, Wildfoote, Saunders and Sage Ridge. We didn’t grow a single grape specifically to go into Ontogeny. Instead, we selected barrels from our vineyard designates to produce something enchanting, and this wine shows that we accomplished that. It cascades across your palate with seamless ease. Explosive notes of crème de cassis, lavender and huckleberries give the wine a luxurious fruit component. The mouthfeel is all about controlled power, the tannins come in waves, but they hit with incredible grace."