Maroon winemaker Chris Corley crafts beautifully balanced wines under the guiding principle of introducing as little manipulation as possible. His style pairs well with Maroon’s Vineyard in Coombsville, where the rocky, volcanic, gravely loam soils produce exquisitely balanced fruit. The combination results in powerful yet elegant wines that are less common in Napa Valley. At $70, their Black Label Cab is a solid offering, but at our price, it’s one of the best values in the shop.

 

The 2015 Black Label Cabernet is from both the winery’s Estate Vineyard and a neighboring site with similar fruit characteristics. The Estate Vineyard is in a unique bowl-shaped depression beneath Mt George, which is an extinct volcano. Joseph Phelps recognized the quality of their grapes, and fruit from Maroon Vineyard went into the high-scoring Insignia Blend for years. 

 

This stunning wine emerges from one of Napa Valley’s top vintages, which the Wine Spectator describes as producing “significantly lower yields…Quality is high.” The 2015 vintage is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and offers supple dark fruits, red currants with perfectly balanced acidity.

 

Retails at: $70