Mission Codename Running Up That Hill
Second Helpings - Pritchard Hill!
The story has it that owner, grower, and winemaker had a secret pledge to NEVER disclose exactly where the fruit’s from, but the curious Spies we are, digging deep revealed that this IS indeed a single-vineyard of untold fame and fortune, high up on that famous hill…
Not since the NATO negotiation has such an immense and world-changing deal happened.
Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, BUUUUT this was $150… And after we leveraged our strongest mind control and negotiation tactics, we bartered that WAY down.
Now, for you, it’s $39. And in our world, that’s a HUGE win. 75% OFF Operatives, BOOM!
First, the winemaker, Dr. Richard Peterson. Heard of him? Probably not. But you’ve heard of Screaming Eagle and Heidi Peterson Barrett. Get this - before Heidi came on board it was her dad, Dr. Peterson who led the first four vintages of Screaming Eagle into cult stardom. Then Heidi Barrett took over. That’s not all. Richard also took André Tchelistcheff’s post at Beaulieu Vineyards, helped develop Atlas Peak Vineyards, and he presides over numerous institutions including the American Society for Enology & Viticulture, The Wine Institute, Society of Wine Educators, and American Institute for Wine and Food. Oh, and he wrote an award-winning autobiography “The Winemaker”.
Just… WOW! Talk about accomplished.
Pritchard Hill! is named “the Rodeo Drive of Napa Valley” by Wine Spectator and praised as “producing among the most profound wines in Napa Valley” by Wine Enthusiast. Top reds like this one by Bryant Family, Colgin, Dalla Valle, Ovid, and Chappellet command stratospheric prices for just that reason.
Yet this lovely Bordeaux blend stacks up mountains of smooooth, sweet, creamy blackberry jam, cassis, cocoa, spice, savory bacon fat, and pencil shavings. It’s all wrapped in a lovely robe of 100% new French Oak that’s perfectly integrated and served up in a CLASSY, balanced style somewhere between New and Old World. It has dusty, fine-grained tannins and will continue to age gracefully. For a truly memorable experience, serve up a nice fatty prime ribeye dusted with some Maldon salt. MMMM… Man, what a discovery!
There’s never enough Hawk and Horse Cab, so make sure you stock up good…
Tasting Profile
Tasting Profile
Look | Deeper shades of garnet and ruby meld within an inky black hypnotic core |
---|---|
Smell | Smooth, sweet, creamy blackberry jam, cassis, cocoa, spice, savory bacon fat, and pencil shavings |
Taste | Dusty, fine-grained tannins, a lovely robe of 100% new French Oak that’s perfectly integrated |
Finish | Very long, served up in a classy, balanced style somewhere between New and Old World |
Pairing | For a truly memorable experience, serve up a nice fatty prime ribeye dusted with some Maldon salt. |
What the Winery Says
2013 'Sua Sponte' Napa Valley Proprietary Red
- Consulting Winemaker
- Dr. Richard Peterson
- Vintage
- 2013
- Varieties
- 49% Petit Verdot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Appellation
- Napa Valley
- Vineyard
- Redacted, Pritchard Hill
- Soils
- Rocky, red volcanic soils
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- pH
- 3.55
- Aging
- 26 months
- Barrels
- 100% new French oak
- Production
- 6 barrels