Mission Codename The Bottle, The Myth, The Valley Legend
“I make wines that I like to drink, plain and simple,” says Greg Lawson
You keep making them, Greg, and we’ll keep drinking them.
When we tasted this - oh man. Oodles of lush, creamy, ripe fruits. Despite the irreverent label, this is serious stuff! Utterly astonishing quality, really. And just an immense value with our nearly 50% discount layered on top of an already fair release price.
Of course, it helps when Greg Lawson, third-generation Napa winemaker, is at the helm. He took his first step in a vineyard - probably. His grandfather was the President of Beringer and Greg grew up walking the vineyards of Napa. He worked his first harvest at Vichon Winery in Oakville in 1985 and has been making wine ever since. For his Plank Walker project, he focuses on producing just one exceptional wine, a Bordeaux blend. He sources fruit from top vineyards around Napa and you can tell this wine gets his sole focus and attention.
Wonderfully rich and ripe but balanced and not totally over the top. Packed with blackberry, raspberry compote, black plums, crème de cassis, and a dusting of baking spices with a little torrefaction (roasted espresso) and vanilla. The oak, while prominent, falls in line with the rest of the big, bold flavors in a nice balanced way with a supple, soft mouthfeel. We’ve been making a lot of smashburgers lately - the secret, throw a splash of fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce in there. Put that sucker in a brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, and special sauce. Pour some of this. Life is good.
Finally, we really did not get enough of this one. It’s sold out everywhere and becoming harder to find than Blackbeard’s hidden treasure. If you can get a few bottles, we promise you won’t regret it.
Tasting Profile
Wonderfully rich & ripe but elegant & not over the top
Look | A gorgeous deep ruby turns darker to the core with a bright glowing rim of crimson against the glass |
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Smell | Packed with blackberry, raspberry compote, black plums, crème de cassis, and a dusting of baking spices |
Taste | Wonderfully rich and ripe but elegant, not over the top, a little torrefaction (roasted espresso), and vanilla |
Finish | The oak, while prominent, falls in line with the rest of the big, bold flavors in a balanced, supple, soft mouthfeel |
Pairing | Smashburgers again - brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, secret sauce, this is the one no doubt |
What the Winery Says
2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
- Winemaker
- Gregory Lawson
- Varietals
- 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 1% Merlot
- Vintage
- 2017
- Appellation
- St. Helena, Napa Valley
- Alcohol
- 14.6%
- Brix at harvest
- 25.3°
- Total acidity
- 6.4 g/L
- pH
- 3.89
- Aging
- 22 months
- Barrels
- 100% new French oak
- Production
- 3 barrels