2017 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend Napa Valley 750 ml

Full Throttle. Boundary-pushing. And definitely not for the timid.

That’s exactly what you’re guaranteed when you pop the cork on any red wine made by Lewis Cellars, the pedal-to-the-metal Napa winery that has topped Premiere Napa Valley’s barrel auction ($38K for five cases), and took home Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year title in 2016.

When you get that unabashed opulence and intensity, you expect to pay for it—Lewis Cabernet is $100 and their Reserve goes for $175—but for the buck, the 2017 Alec’s Blend Napa Valley brings as much midnight-black intensity and palate-coating richness as we’ve ever had from Napa Valley. It’s viscous and dense, with jammy blueberry and blackberry adorned with chocolate, toast, and tobacco. Lush and silken, this blockbuster doesn’t dial it back until the vanilla and cinnamon-spice finish is done lingering on your palate.

For those who’ve never met a red wine that was too dark, too dense, or too unapologetic in its intensity (we’re looking at you, Al), then Alec’s Blend is exactly what you want in your glass. Pair it with a ribeye or simply revel in the richness. It’s a beast, it’s a beauty, and we’ve got it today for $58.

Founder Randy Lewis is a racecar driver-turned-vintner who didn’t ease up on the gas one bit in his career transition. He brought home a taste for the food and wine culture that he picked up on the European Formula Three circuit. And although his palate is broad, Randy has chosen to focus his own winery on making, in winemaker Josh Widaman’s words, “the kind of wines a racecar driver would drink.”

“We try to run everything at 200 miles per hour, without running into the wall,” Josh (formerly of Pahlmeyer) told us, summing up the Lewis way in the vineyard and in the cellar. “We ask for maximal sun exposure, maximal airflow in the fruit zone, to get the ultimate in ripeness. We push as far as possible without falling over the edge.” 

Lewis’s goal is ripe fruit purity, framed by well-integrated oak. They’re not generally about single-site expressions, but they stick to their style by sourcing from microclimates all over Napa Valley. The 2017 Alec’s Blend brings down-valley Syrah together with Calistoga Cabernet and Merlot to make a wine that fits the Lewis mold perfectly. 

“Alec’s blend is my go-to if I have people coming over to my house,” Josh told us about Lewis’s crowd-pleaser red. “It’s got all the concentration, focus, richness, and depth that a true oenophile is gonna look for, plus a lushness that everyone enjoys.”

In other words, it’s red-lined, all the way, until it’s in your glass, where the mission becomes pure pleasure—no matter where you partake. “It’s perfectly at home at a backyard barbecue or white tablecloth dinner,” Josh said. But on the other hand, Lewis is the ultimate in Napa Valley maximalism, and it doesn’t need the accompaniment. “I think we’re always aiming for a wine you can drink on its own.”

We’re in total agreement. If any wine can capture your full attention, it’s this one. We can’t wait for you to experience the thrill.