2016 Dalecio Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

This is the spectacular debut vintage from Scott Dalecio, who did the one thing that guarantees instant stardom in Napa Valley: he handed a blank check to Philippe Melka. Melka is widely known as the "Billionaire's Winemaker," the consulting genius behind cult icons like Tusk, Dana Estates, and Vice Versa—wines that regularly trade for $400 to $800 a bottle. When you see his name on a label, you are guaranteed a wine of hedonistic luxury, polished tannins, and massive scores.

The 2016 Reserve is the "Grand Vin" of the estate, a barrel selection of the absolute best lots from high-altitude sites on Diamond Mountain and Pritchard Hill. In the wine world, 2016 is already legendary—a "Goldilocks" vintage of perfect balance and power. Melka and his right-hand man, Maayan Koschitzky, squeezed every ounce of potential out of these mountain sites, creating a wine that Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate rated 97 points, placing it in the same league as Spottswoode ($250+) and Phelps Insignia ($300+).

Because this was a debut release, the pricing hasn't yet caught up to the pedigree. This is a rare opportunity to drink a Melka-crafted, 97-point mountain Cabernet from a historic vintage for a fraction of what his other projects command. It is rich, unctuous, and undeniably expensive-tasting—a "black tie" Cabernet in every sense.