Cortello Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Napa Valley 2017

Ever heard of Regusci? One of the Stag’s Leap AVA stalwarts? We know you have! Jason Lauritsen, the cool-as-heck vineyard manager for Regusci winery, and owner of some of Napa’s prime sites, also owns this insanely delicious (and insanely Invino-well-priced) wine label called Cortello, meaning knife in Italian. It’s named for the curved, sickle-like pruning tool wielded by vineyard workers. And this wine is aptly named! It’s got a SHARP price at nearly 50% off, and the flavors and texture rock SO hard that there’s nothing left to say other than it’s a SHARP wine. Lookin’ good, Cortello, lookin’ good!

Cortello comes from the St. Helena AVA, also known as the “heart” of Napa Valley, from one of Jason’s very excellent vineyard sites. It is highly allocated – he only makes a few hundred cases of the stuff –  as would be expected from someone who knows and has farmed the very best of the Valley’s vineyards for years. We feel honored and blessed to have been on Jason’s “allocation” list from the very beginning, and we’re hooked! 

This wine has an almost ethereal quality, as it’s been aged in French oak for a lengthy amount of time. It’s dark and brooding, full of mocha and coffee flavors, stewed plum and cherry flavors, and some essence of a walk-in humidor. Yeah, a walk-in humidor, which we love the smell of! Beyond that, it’s lush and rather silky on the palate, a true testament to great fruit and skilled winemaking, with just a hint of tannin on the back end. It is Napa cab, after all! Sure, it’s delicious to drink, anytime, any day, but the best part of this is the PRICE! C’mon, people! It’s 46% off and under $40! Is that a reason to celebrate or what? We’re super KEEN on this deal – you should be too! We’ve only got a few bottles so grab a few of this pristine legend, why dontcha?