Cha-ching! We just completed another Cabernet Sauvignon side quest for our Operatives. It took every ounce of abjuration, alteration, conjuration, divination, and a little necromancy to make this happen.

But we unlocked an awesomesauce discovery to power up your stash in a big way.

AT WELL OVER $100 OFF.

Honestly? This might be our best frontrunner for Cabernet of the Year award. It’s early, but once you taste it, you’ll be firing off that “HEY DO YOU HAVE MORE?” email real quick. Sadly, there is barely enough to warrant an offer (but good news, fair lads and maidens, we have another lined up after this inevitably sells out).

So, to borrow a page from the “dealing with troublesome toddlers” playbook - “you get what you get, and you don’t get upset.” Got some? Good.

Italics was a hot new upstart in Napa. Side note - curious Ops may want to check out the Decanted documentary which features their story. Started by a Texas farmer who developed some deep contacts in the area, Italics Winegrowers set out to make ultra-premium wines with a sense of place. A total of 5,000 cases were made, mostly sold through their wine club and to select distributors in a few states. The “One of Sixteen” refers to a specific AVA in Napa Valley and making wines that best represent the subregion, in this case, one of the best - Rutherford.

Furthermore, Marbue Marke is a rising star in the Napa winemaking scene. This former ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by Wine Spectator forged his skills at the venerable Caldwell Vineyards.

This project is super under the radar, highly limited, and normally reserved entirely for their mailing list. For a 2016 One of Sixteen, Jeb Dunnuck concluded “rock solid Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon” which is spot on for this line across the board. Add to that his vintage impression “in a nutshell, 2019 is another terrific vintage for Napa Valley, and the wines are beautiful, classic reds that will offer plenty of up-front appeal and have broad drink windows” and we have a sure bet winner!

It starts to win with a deep, dark ruby hue and a spicy, vivacious, medium to full-bodied style with great purity in its red and blue fruits, as well as accents of violets, and background oak. It offers ripe, polished tannins, and terrific balance as an outstanding Rutherford Cab to drink over the coming decade.

For reasons we won’t bother with, Italics sold to Shadybrook Estate last year. But they didn’t take the inventory. So now you have the opportunity to adopt some forsaken Cabernet for a brief moment in time as it falls into our hands at a ridiculous 70% savings.

Do yourself a sold and grab at least a few. We know you’ll make a great owner.