I blurted out “$150 Napa Cabernet” as I swirled and savored today’s rarely seen label, because the package, the place, and, most importantly, the unbelievable wine inside the bottle certainly warranted it, if not more. Come to find out, I was way off—in the best imaginable way. For $65, which is the world’s best price by a hefty margin, we’re exclusively providing our customers with one of Napa’s greatest over-achievers from a vintage that will forever be touted as king.
But there’s much more than an elite vintage at play in this 2013 “Rutherford Red”—there’s rich history and prestige, too. Owner Bill Harrison’s grandfather became California’s first winemaker to hold degrees in both viticulture and enology in 1902. As such, Bill harnessed his ancestor’s genius and launched Wm. Harrison to sculpt impeccable reds, but he did so with yet another secret weapon: “Winemaker of the Year” Phillip Titus. If you’re unfamiliar with the name, you’re unfamiliar with great Napa reds! The face of Chappellet winemaking for decades, as well as a longtime consultant for other labels, Phillip has dominated the modern age of exquisite Napa Valley wine, finding the perfect equilibrium of finesse, power, and nuanced complexity. Today’s dark-fruited, velvet-textured, extremely age-worthy Cabernet blend will redefine your expectations for what Napa’s greatest wine should cost. Hundreds of dollars for a ‘cult’ red, or today’s offer? The answer is positively, unequivocally simple. This is the best 2013 value we could ever hope to hunt down. Take advantage of this low price while you still can!
A bit more on this fabled vintage...When speaking to Decanter about Napa Valley’s legendary 2013 vintage, Tod Mostero of Dominus Estate exclaimed: “I can now die happy as a winemaker” and went on to say, “I’d love to see another year as good as this, but I can settle for just one.” Such strong words from such an illustrious producer should not—cannot—be overlooked, but does it have the ring of truth? The answer is a resounding yes, as one internet search or one conversation with a wine junkie will confirm. Critic James Suckling, recalling his experiences with Napa’s region-defining, best-of-class Cabernets from the ‘60s and ‘70s, also hyped the 2013 vintage, saying, “I have a feeling that some of Napa’s great reds of 2013 will be the same benchmarks in the future.” They weren’t wrong, and William Harrison confirms it.
On Bill’s maternal side, winemaking can be traced back quite a ways—both physically and temporally: His ancestors have produced wine in southern Italy since the 1500s! However, Bill’s grandfather, Antonio Perelli-Minetti, was the driving force behind the California venture. Having arrived in 1902 equipped with a viticulture and enology degree—of which no one else in the state had at that time—he steadily worked his way up the ladder until establishing his very own winery in San Joaquin Valley, where Bill grew up. Bill had to tackle a major obstacle before launching his own private label: capital. Establishing a full-fledged winery requires enormous wherewithal, so in order to achieve that he started a mobile wine bottling service in 1982—after applying for 40 loans. His persistence quite literally paid off, and just 11 years later he unveiled his first vintage of Wm. Harrison.
With only seven acres of vines in the benchland of the Vaca Mountains, Bill’s annual production is extremely small, but the quality here is off the charts. Today’s “Rutherford Red” is their flagship bottling, utilizing the five major red grapes of Bordeaux that hang from mature vines planted in gravelly loam and decomposed ash. All are sustainably farmed, and in 2013, each variety was fermented separately under the skilled eye of Phillip Titus. Following, their small team sampled every barrel and singled out the finest for each variety—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot—before blending together a masterful wine. In total, the wine aged 22 months in 40% new French oak. Only 13 barrels were produced.
The result? A breathtakingly opulent and powerfully deep red that marries the lushness of Rutherford and the elegance of Classified Bordeaux. Their small team states that “this wine is meant to be the best possible expression of the Harrison’s home vineyard every vintage.” If that’s the case, I want to get my hands on more! The 2013 “Rutherford Red” pours a deep purple-ruby in the glass and releases intoxicating aromas of violets, crushed volcanic rock, leather, cigar wrapper, turned earth, and rose petals. And then a massive burst of dark-hued fruits envelop your senses: black cherry liqueur, black raspberry, ripe plums, and black currant. All this, along with ample yet soft-shouldered tannins, means there’s an underlying sense of hedonism, but it never once reads overdone thanks to tamed alcohol and endless layers of savory earth. Bottom line: This is a top expression of Rutherford, and for those who consider themselves well-versed in Napa, today’s extraordinary wine will instantly jump to the top of your favorites. It will mature effortlessly over the next decade-plus, but if consuming over the next few years, decant for one hour before serving in large Bordeaux stems at 60-65 degrees. Pairing? Steak it up! You simply cannot go wrong with a succulent, medium-rare filet. Enjoy your life, it only comes around once.
