Mission Codename Hi5
“Great job! One of very few Chardonnays that I would drink or buy from California. A beautiful expression of pure Chardonnay, unadulterated.” – Ric Forman
High praise from one of the most iconic wine figures in Napa. This is exactly the kind of deal we love to find.
Here’s how it went down…
A tiny family-run winery makes a big branding shift. Out with the old as they say. In this case, the newly branded Hunter Glenn wanted to dish out their previous “86/87” label wines. So, they give us a call. We taste a sample and BUG OUT at how good it is. Then we hustle to scoop up every case they’ll part with so we can share this incredible deal with as many of you as possible.
The best part though? The deal! You’re getting a gorgeous Napa Carneros Chardonnay for $17 a bottle - over HALF off the list price. High five!
The Shifflett family ranch sits in the foothills of the Mayacamas mountains at the end of Darm’s Lane, neighboring icons Dominus, Laird Estate, and Trethefen (not to mention Darm’s Lane Winery, a total hidden gem itself). Owner/winemaker Jeff Shifflett worked harvest in Australia before returning to Napa to spend time at both Cakebread and Elyse. Today he makes tiny amounts of wine alongside his sister, Caroline. And man, they’re simply crushing it, putting out super honest, high-quality wine at beyond fair prices.
When they started out, they went with 86/87. Today they’re called Hunter Glenn. Granted, the new branding/label design is WAY dapper, but the juice inside the bottle is what matters.
We’re talking about LUSH, creamy, tropical pineapple and sweet lemon bars, white flowers, and a bit of toasty French oak. This sits perfectly between that crisp/zippy and the ultra-rich California style. Fairly bright acid keeps you salivating for more and more. Straight up delicious stuff.
By the way, that endorsement for this beauty by Ric Forman is no small feat folks, Forman has been an iconic winemaker and a Chardonnay expert since the 1970s, he’s been there, done that!
And the price - The PRICE! - a cool 51% off drops it down to less than what a large popcorn with a soda costs at the movies. You could spend ages looking for a comparable value and come up short. Or you could grab a few of these and thank us later.
What the Winery Says
2016 '86/87' Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay
- Winemaker
- Jeffrey Shifflet
- Varietal
- 100% Chardonnay
- Vintage
- 2016
- Appellation
- Los Carneros, Napa Valley
- Vineyard
- Sebastiani Wilson Ranch
- Alcohol
- 14%
- Malolactic fermentation
- 50%
- Aging
- 9 months
- Barrels
- 25% new French oak
- Production
- 6 barrels