Mission Codename Celestial
“This is how we do it… to all my neighbors you got much flavor”
Sorry for planting that musical earworm but we are vibing with Montell right now. Because this is how WE do it! SO MUCH flavor going on here, and if you know Stormy Weather you’re already halfway through the checkout, locking down some of this 94 pointer. Did we mention it’s no longer $80!?!
Many of you know Hundred Acre, the cult favorite, $400/bottle, almost-always-100-point Cabs by Jayson Woodbridge. Well, “clearly winemaking talent runs in the Woodbridge family” as Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate attests because his brother Cameron also makes bad-ass wine in that full throttle, all-or-nothing style.
Cameron worked alongside Jayson and Philippe Melka, who consulted for Hundred Acre at the time, starting in 2005. He honed his skills and broke out on his own to make a comparably opulent, hedonistic, high-scoring Cabernet. Maybe you snagged some of his Stormy Weather Cabernet last year before it sold out. This is cut from the same cloth.
For the uninitiated, expect to be bowled over by this “jammy fruit bomb” as they describe it on the Stormy Weather product page. A hedonistic thrill ride sweeps across your palate, serving up piles of ripe blackberry jam, sweet pipe tobacco, and exotic wood spice. The finish carries on and on, and not a shy wine in any sense of the word, just the opposite.
It’s been a while since we had a Cab Franc on this level, so please, do yourself a favor and put at least a few in your locker. You’ll thank us later.
94 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“The 100% Cabernet Franc 2015 Wandering Star reveals a ruby/purple color as well as a complex array of earthy dark fruits, damp earth, spring flowers, and hints of vanilla. It’s a gorgeously layered, seamless Cabernet Franc that has moderate tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It will deliver the goods over the coming 10-15 years. Drink 2019-2034.”
Tasting Profile
Tasting Profile
Look | Inky deep violet to purple on the thin circumference |
---|---|
Smell | For the uninitiated, expect to be bowled over by this “jammy fruit bomb” as they describe it on their website |
Taste | A hedonistic thrill ride sweeps across your palate, serving up piles of ripe blackberry jam, sweet pipe tobacco, and exotic wood spice |
Finish | Carries on and on, and not a shy wine in any sense of the word, just the opposite |
Pairing | A thick cut of steak or a wild mushroom ragu tossed handmade pasta of your choice |
What the Winery Says
2015 'Wandering Star' Napa Valley Cabernet Franc
- Winemaker
- Cameron Woodbridge
- Varietal
- 100% Cabernet Franc
- Vintage
- 2015
- Appellation
- Coombsville, Napa Valley
- Alcohol
- 14.8%
- Harvest date
- September 2015
- Aging
- 30 months
- Barrels
- 80% new French oak
- Production
- 7 barrels