The Messenger Cabernet Sauvignon 181 Oakville Napa Valley 2018

This 96 POINT Oakville cabernet ranks up there with some of the best, yet the pricing belies its greatness – and we’re here for it!

PREHEADER (2-3 sentences): This absolutely fantastic 96 pt. cabernet is put out by Art + Farm Wine, a brand that oversees a few different labels that all focus on different styles of wine. This one, The Messenger, aims to convey complexity by using various varieties, specific vintages and the art of blending, strategically, to carry out its message. And you know what? We ain’t mad at that!

Art + Farm’s slogan is “the art of farming great wine,” so they don’t only use Napa Valley appellations but spectacular, highly-regarded vineyards from around the world, including as far away as Australia’s Adelaide Hills. They really lean into wine’s global nature, for sure!

The 2018 vintage of The Messenger’s Cabernet 181 from Oakville received a whopping 96 points from Wine Enthusiast, so you know it’s good. And we can attest to its good-ness. We wouldn’t be telling you about it otherwise. It’s fantastic! It’s lush and refined, elegant yet rustic – yes, both can exist in one bottle of wine! The vintage was wonderful, with everything falling into place at the time it should have. Sixty-nine percent of the wine was aged in new French oak, and 31% in one-year-old French oak, for a total of 16 months of aging. During that time, the tannins softened, and the plushness has started to show its lovely face. On the palate, it’s black and blue fruits sitting alongside some clove and cedar notes to make this wine surprising at every turn. Ready to taste? You should be! We’re giving it to you for literally half off – but it’s worth much, MUCH more than that! Y’all ready for this? Go!