We rarely feature Napa Valley Cabernet these days; the unfortunate reality is that the wines we love are now generally way too pricey, and the ones that fit the “bill” almost never deliver the goods. But we’ve found an exception! A very small production, handmade masterpiece from a single vineyard in Coombsville. No, it’s not inexpensive–top local restaurants have it on their lists for upwards of $200–but we have a special connection with the family who founded the winery and they agreed to let us offer a few cases to our loyal subscribers (that’s you!). Katali is not in any retail shop anywhere, has never been featured in an email offer, or ever even been online. It’s a true “insider” wine for the lucky few who have access to bottles direct from the Downer family, or who visit Napa’s finest restaurants. And given the quality and pedigree, it offers excellent value. We have just a few cases, so don’t wait to pounce!

California’s Napa Valley needs no introduction, even to the most casual wine drinkers. Grape growing and winemaking have been here for 150 plus years, but it was in the last 50 that it became a world famous wine destination. Jackie and Michael Downer source their fruit exclusively from the Caldwell vineyard in the Coombsville AVA, located in the southeast corner of the valley. The vineyards sit at about 600 feet above the valley floor, and are planted on rich, volcanic soils. The Downers met at Linfield College, in the heart of Oregon’s wine country, and moved to Napa in 1989. Jackie has been in the wine business ever since, and while Michael’s day job was in banking, he has always been a wine enthusiast and even an amateur winemaker. Napa is in his “blood,”–h