2017 The Illegitimate Cuvee Non-Autorisee Red Wine California 750 ml

The Illegitimate Cuvée, produced by VGS Chateau Potelle and its 100-point winemaker Kale Anderson, was crafted like a collector’s wine but is priced to open without hesitation. When we first laid our hands on The Illegitimate—an inky-black, rich, and infinitely gulpable California red—here’s what happened: In just a short time after the wine arrived at the homes of the few fortunate Wine Access buyers who avoided the “sold out” notification, the ratings poured in… 

This is not a shy wine—it’s a juicy, floral, and brambly blend that will thrill fans of The Prisoner, which goes for twice as much. It checks all the boxes for those looking for an unapologetic California red that is meant to be opened with good friends. Crack a bottle, and you will understand why at Wine Access we buy this by the case. 

To fully understand how incredible a value this Cuvée Non-Autorisée is, consider the results of winemaker Kale Anderson’s 2019 Auction Napa Valley lot “Fourmeaux Red Blend,” which earned the highest price out of every lot for the second year running. The bidder paid $85,250 for the 2017 vintage (or $710 per bottle) and it’s clear why—Kale’s got talent. 

But his isn’t the only impressive story here. VGS Proprietor Jean-Noël Fourmeaux du Sarte first came to California from France—as a wine spy for the French government. 

His mission was to taste the wines being made in Napa Valley and send his impressions back to his waiting co-conspirators on the Continent. But, Jean-Noël was moved to stay—not only because of the weather; not only because he was impressed with the trajectory of the cuisine in California; but because in California he would be free to make the wines he wanted, free from the strictures put in place by French winemaking laws.

With The Illegitimate, Fourmeaux and Kale Anderson have embraced the variety of California’s plantings and the looseness of the state’s labeling laws, which give license to creative winemakers who want to blend grape varieties across multiple regions. Fourmeaux jokes that, in his tradition-bound home country, making a wine like this “unauthorized blend” would land him in jail. 

“Rich and smooth” and “very tasty” raved two perfect 5-star reviews, while one 4-star comment stood out to us: “The sum is greater than the parts.” We couldn’t agree more. 

After another year in bottle, The Illegitimate Cuvée Non-Autorisée is a brilliant 2017, ready to enjoy now, with loads of built-in pleasure, but capable of gaining a ton of complexity in bottle over time. Bold, deep, and inviting florals give way to sun-kissed blueberries, blackberries, and freshly roasted espresso on the palate. 

This is a super-juicy and rich blend built around a core of structured Cabernet Sauvignon, ripe Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Sirah—an anytime wine without rules, for drinking now and often. We highly suggest stockpiling it by the case.