Lot 552 | 2023 Oak Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon 12-bottle case

***BOTTLING LATE JUNE, SHIPPING BEGINS EARLY JULY*** Serious QPR alert! We adore Cabernets from Oak Knoll – vineyards planted in this valley floor AVA’s deep loamy soils enjoy a climate that allows for longer hang times and pitch-perfect ripeness – a winemaker’s dream for balance and structure. It’s the katana to Oakville and Rutherford’s broadsword, if you will. So it’s only fitting that the next star acquisition from the standout '23 vintage in our Spring Series is one of the finest expressions of this region you’ll find on the market – a tremendous offering at a staggering discount, OVER 80% OFF. Lot 552 is a 100% single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from a Napa stalwart who specializes in vineyard-designate bottlings. While it’s a tall order to live up to a term like “virtuosic craftsmanship,” it’s entirely appropriate here – the winemaker’s deft touch and sense of restraint let the world-class fruit showcase its full potential. The result is nothing short of magical: a wine of remarkable grace that’s as pure an expression of terroir as you’ll find anywhere in the valley. However, like so many other elite producers these days, they suddenly find themselves with wine on hand formerly intended for international destinations, and we were more than happy to cut a deal to find this exquisite lot some new homes. Sold direct from the source at $130/bottle under its original label, it’s an absolute steal here for under $25 a bottle! $299/case DELIVERED, $24+/bottle to your door. During the consistently cool 2023 growing season, this small valley floor vineyard was frequently blanketed in fog until late morning. As ripening was extremely slow up and down the region, some producers opted to harvest early out of concern, but our source, guided by decades of experience, refused to be rushed. Their patience rewarded them with a stretch of crisp, sunlit days in late summer and fall, allowing the fruit to achieve full ripeness alongside vibrant acidity and perfect phenolic maturity. Aging in 100% French oak barrels (33% new) has framed the natural energy of the fruit with a sublime structure. Pouring a deep ruby into the glass, the nose is vivid with blackberries and graphite, followed by layers of dried herbs, new soft leather, and currants. The entry is impeccably structured and perfectly balanced, where blackcurrant and plum interplay with savory notes of tobacco and leather, uplifted by barrel spice and medium acidity. Plentiful, medium-grained tannins are beautifully integrated throughout, and a dry finish unfolds with dark fruits giving way to spiced vanilla blossoms and crushed violets that linger gracefully across a long, resonant close. 14.8% alc