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Cerro, Napa Valley Red

California / Napa Valley, United States 2016 (750mL)
$30.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Cerro, Napa Valley Red

We’re constantly trumpeting “value of the year” wines, but it’s important to distinguish that one bottle, however much value it may hold, doesn’t speak for every category. There are unique values to be had in every region, price point, and style of wine. That said, today’s incredible find hits all three.
Derek Beitler’s Cerro label defies what has become the ‘norm’ in Napa Valley, a region that has luxuriated in the upper echelons of premium wine and exorbitant pricing. For an unheard-of $30, today’s red blend, led by the deep, brooding Petit Verdot, is culled from two elite vineyards in the powerhouse appellations of Rutherford and Oak Knoll. Further, Derek only produced a tiny batch, which he treated to a long élevage (30 months) incorporating a judicious amount of new oak (30%). There is no heavy hand in this wine nor overt extraction; all you’ll find is intricately detailed layers and sumptuous depth. That’s exactly how you nail a wine in modern-day Napa Valley. We’re one of the very few people in the world who have their hands on Cerro, and I have a strong feeling most of you will not be passing up the best Napa red value of 2019!
You’d think a winemaker sourcing premium Napa Valley fruit would have to take some shortcuts in order to roll out a $30 bottle to market, but that’s simply not the case for Derek Beitler. Yes, he is the nephew of Chuck Wagner (Caymus), and yes, his contacts run deep, but make no mistake: this is a certified passion project, and throughout my career, these are the gems that (1) impress me the most and (2) stay in the wheelhouse of affordability. That’s especially the case when you’re trying to flaunt the beauties of Petit Verdot. Because of its history in Bordeaux, this has long been considered a blending grape due to its deep color and dark-toned flavors. However, when it fully ripens and is correctly finessed in the winery, it can be a compelling headliner!

Because of Petit Verdot’s scarcity in the Valley, as well as it being a necessary calling card in many of Napa’s top Bordeaux blends, this coveted grape “is one of the most expensive grapes per ton in Napa,” according to Napa Wine Project. And still, today’s low-priced red from Cerro touts a heavy percentage of Petit Verdot. A whopping 65% to be exact, along with 33% Petit Sirah and 2% Zinfandel. 

Because of unrelenting heat, harvest came a full two weeks early in 2016: All of their plump, intensely concentrated grapes were off the vine by the end of the day on September 22nd. Back at the winery, they underwent a six-day “cold soak” before a long, cool fermentation. The resulting wine was then racked into French barrels, 30% new, for 30 whole months before bottling. For a wine of this caliber and price, that level of patience and dedication is astounding. 

The power of Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah is fully realized when Cerro’s 2016 Napa Valley Red splashes into your glass with an opaque, vividly dark crimson-purple core. Tears cling to the glass and the wine appears to swirl a bit slower due to its weight. But its viscous appearance is deceptive: After introducing it to oxygen, it reveals finessed notes that extend onto the sublime, velvety, beautifully lifted palate. Purple and red flowers dominate the foreground along with currants, boysenberry, black cherries, crème de cassis, black raspberry liqueur, and juicy black plums. Give it additional time to shed its lush shell of fruit and you’ll also discover drying leather, licorice, cacao, and supple, interwoven notes of baking spice. It’s a lavish wine that, like a proud car owner, has been meticulously polished through and through. It’s full of invitingly dark layers that read both smooth and addicting by soft-shouldered tannins and impressive freshness. I expect this wine will provide pleasure over the next five years, but there’s absolutely no need to wait. Dig in!
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Country
United States
Region
California / Napa Valley
Sub-Region
United StatesRutherford & Oak Knoll
Soil
Various
Farming
Sustainable Practices
Blend
Petit Verdot 65%, Petite Sirah 33%, Zinfandel 2%
Alcohol
14.5
OAK
30% New French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Bordeaux Stem
Drinking
Now-2024
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Filet Mignon w/ Bearnaise Sauce

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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