Jennifer Williams doesn't need introduction in Napa Valley circles. Ten vintages at Spottswoode. Multiple 100-point wines. Today she is killing it at Arrow & Branch. But back in 2005, she and her husband Mark Porembski—himself a stellar winemaker—decided to prove a point: great Napa Cabernet doesn't have to cost $300.

Zeitgeist was born from a simple observation. If you have the relationships, if you're actually part of the upvalley community rather than an absentee owner, you can access fruit from legendary vineyards without the legendary markup. It helps when you're buying gas next to the vineyard manager, running into growers at Sunshine Market, living the daily rhythm of Valley life.

Take their three sources for this 2017. Chris Phelps (Ad Vivum) told them about Sleeping Lady in Yountville in 2008, but they had to wait four years on the list until an acre opened up. It's soil that acts more like a hillside vineyard than valley floor, with farming so precise they'll adjust leaf canopy row by row based on what each winemaker wants. Not every grower does that!

Lewelling in St. Helena might be Napa's longest continuously family-held vineyard—since 1864. When you're friends with Erik and Haley (A sixth-generation Lewelling), and have been since 2001, doors open. Those mid-1990s Clone 7 vines on incredibly alluvial, cobblestone soils produce Cabernet of STUNNING purity.

Then there's Oakville Station—surrounded on three sides by To Kalon, bordered on the fourth by Martha's Vineyard. This is the prime cut of Napa Valley, soil that was winning gold medals at World's Fairs in the 1890s. The bins and trucks you see here belong to $500 bottles. But when Erik farms it and you've known him for two decades, different math applies.

The winemaking reflects Jennifer's philosophy: grace over power. The 2017 blend—92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc—captures what Jeb Dunnuck called “seamless, gorgeously textured” character. That Cab Franc from Sleeping Lady adds savory notes of lavender and rosemary, like "Darjeeling" as they describe it. They're thinking about Pomerol's La Conseillante when they blend, not trying to out-muscle the neighbors.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

• A+ Winemakers, Pure and Simple. Jennifer Williams' wines at Spottswoode now often fetch $300+. Her wines at Arrow & Branch fetch hundreds too. But for her and husband Mark’s label, they are overdelivering threefold and more on their modest price. We rarely see anything like it.
  
  
• Three Legendary Sites: Sleeping Lady acts like a mountain vineyard on the valley floor. Lewelling's 160-year family legacy and farming acumen in St. Helena is well-known. Oakville Station is a historic site on the same alluvial fan as To Kalon. Any ONE of these sources on their own make for a $200 wine.
  
  
• 95 Points: Dunnuck's score matches 2017s like Hundred Acre Wraith ($750) and Realm Houyi ($250). This is simply top-tier quality at fair prices.
  
  
• Perfect Maturity: At eight years old, this 2017 is just entering its prime window. The integration is complete, but there's another 10-15 years of beautiful drinking ahead. A case would be a wise investment.

HOW TO SERVE IT

• Decant for 45 minutes. Serve at 62-65°F in Bordeaux stems.
  

• Drink now through 2037. This has the structure and balance to evolve gracefully—expect the savory notes to intensify while the fruit shifts from black to red.
  

• Pair with Bobby Flay’s braised short rib recipe, or a rack of lamb with salsa verde.