2018 Dana Estates - Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Vaso (750ml)

Dana Estates was founded by Hi Sang Lee and built around a trio of meticulously farmed Napa Valley vineyards, with acclaimed consulting winemaker Philippe Melka guiding the cellar since the debut 2005 vintage. VASO began in 2006 as a wine made exclusively for the South Korean market, reflecting Lee's own heritage, and it was not until the 2013 vintage that a small allocation was set aside for US collectors. The winery operates separate fermentation rooms for each estate site, allowing the team to capture the individual character of every vineyard before blending.

The 2018 VASO draws mainly from the high-elevation Hershey Vineyard on Howell Mountain, rounded out with fruit from the Rutherford-area Helms Vineyard and the Crystal Springs and Lotus sites. The blend of 90 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Merlot, 4 percent Malbec, and 1 percent Petit Verdot underwent native fermentation across oak upright tanks, single-barrel lots, and concrete, followed by 22 months of aging in French oak, only a small portion of it new.

Deep purple-ruby in the glass, this Cabernet offers blackberry, blueberry, cassis, cocoa, violets, and dried tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, its long, chewy tannins carry through to a finish that turns cool and minty. Serve it alongside roasted duck, prime rib, or a dark chocolate dessert.