Chris Hamilton knows something about beating the odds. From a childhood of economic hardship, to becoming an amateur race car driver, to a Napa Valley vintner, he's made a career of “turning right when everyone turns left.” His Wülf Red—sporting a regal blue label—is the ultimate outsider's play on Napa Valley’s most rarefied terroirs.

The 55-acre Pelissa Vineyard sits at Oakville's epicenter, sharing the same deep alluvial gravels and afternoon sun exposure that make neighboring Opus One ($400) and Beckstoffer To Kalon some of Oakville’s priciest real estate. The same family’s holdings further south along Yount Mill Road in Yountville supply the Merlot for this wine.

Hamilton has an eye for talent. Sara Donley, who spent six years at Colgin Cellars, made the wine and guided it through its 18-month, neutral French oak élevage. The result? A $33 Red masquerading as an $80 bottle. Those are just the facts.

Why You'll Love It

• Unapologetically Fruit-driven: Deep black cherries come with dusty raspberries, chocolate, purple flowers, and minerals, leading to waves of warm cassis, black raspberries, and currants. It’s all about the fruit here, not new oak.

• Organically farmed fruit, guided expertly to bottle by a former winemaker at Colgin. That’s why it’s on the list at the industry watering hole Compline in Napa.

• Undeniable pedigree: Between the Hoxseys’ prime alluvial vineyard sites in Oakville and Yountville, and Sara Donley (Colgin alum) making the wine, this wine should cost twice as much. This is NOT a “private label” or “NDA” wine either; it’s a red made with intention and perfectionism. You will be challenged to find a better Napa red under $100.

How to Serve it

• Open it now for instant gratification, or stash it away through 2030.

• Serve at 60-62°F in Bordeaux stems.

• Pair with grilled ribeye caps buried under a heap of miso-glazed roast shiitakes.