2017 Cervantes Blacktail Proprietary Red Blend MMXVII Napa Valley 750 ml

Xavier Cervantes and 100-point winemaker Andy Erickson dove headlong into the Napa frontier, and returned with an instant classic. From a rugged vineyard that Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate called “a game changer for the region,” Blacktail is an “exercise in polish and poise,” a singular Napa red that defines the region’s versatility and diversity.

The estate’s second Blacktail vintage, the 2017, has already positioned itself alongside Napa’s most esteemed red wines. It starts with winemaker Andy Erickson, whose pedigree is second to none, having crafted Screaming Eagle, Arietta, Dalle Valle, Staglin, and more. That Napa mastery is on full display in the Blacktail, which outscored $300+ competition from iconic Napa estates. 

Wine Advocate named Blacktail among their Top 100 Wine Discoveries of 2020, a rare honor in a region where new discoveries of this caliber are next to non-existent. This wine is truly revolutionary, on the precipice of a new Napa movement. Given Cervantes’ auspicious start and top-tier winemaker, this is just the beginning of a long, award-laden future. With this type of momentum, it’s only a matter of time before Blacktail is a mailing-list-only wine destined for waitlists and bidding wars. Grab a few while you can.

The Cervantes 1,100-acre ranch—which encompasses several hillside vineyards—is on the frontier of modern Napa Valley winemaking. Pope Valley, just northeast of Howell Mountain, has been heralded as "Napa’s last undiscovered gem” by Forbes. But it’s hardly new to wine. Sure, wild deer and bears still roam the area near Cervantes’ ranch, and if you visit, you might catch owner Xavier Cervantes on his horse, surveying the vineyards. But grapes have been grown there since the 19th century, and if Blacktail is any indication, it’s an area that can produce powerful and complex red wines that contend with the region’s giants. 

Xavier Cervantes spent seven years searching for the perfect location for his vineyards, and he landed here. The region is cooler than most of Napa Valley for a majority of the year, but during the growing season, it has warmer days and cooler nights, which awaken the wine’s ripe, bold flavors and rich aromatics. 

In the glass, Blacktail is muscular and seductive, reminiscent of hillside sunsets on the vineyard, bathed in the evening’s ruby-purple glow. A swirl unlocks warm aromas of violets, blackberry pie, and mocha, which flow seamlessly into a silky, dark-fruit palate with mountainous tannins. When we first tasted it, we were speechless. 

Harvested entirely from estate vineyards, nearly-equal portions of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon imbue the wine with richness, while Petite Sirah and a dash of Petit Verdot add complexity and structure. In prior years, Cervantes sold off certain blocks’ harvests to other wineries. But this year, realizing how special the site is, the winery kept it for themselves, giving Erickson access to the entire estate, the best grapes on the lot. In his formidable hands, it was a playground for pioneering, a gold mine for phenomenal wine. 

This is your chance to get in on a rare Napa discovery, to join Cervantes at the region’s frontier before this bottling becomes a collector’s item.