2018 The Dude Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

The absolute best values in Napa often come from enviable connections, winemaking expertise, and hush-hush vineyard sources. Winemaker Neil Koch has all three, and in the outstanding 2018 vintage, they converged like they rarely have before to create the gracefully concentrated The Dude Red, a stunning value from some of Napa Valley’s best sites.  

The Dude gleans pure Napa polish from vineyards in Rutherford, Howell Mountain, and Calistoga so coveted that their grapes are otherwise unavailable, and might not come around again. This Cabernet blend opens with notes of dried cherries intertwined with exotic spice that lead into a rich and concentrated palate showcasing plum, spiced vanilla, and a touch of leather. Considering the winemaking skill and sources behind it, this red would be a steal at twice the price.

With experience working alongside 100-point icon Philippe Melka at Seavey Vineyards, Bryant Family Vineyard, and Vineyard 29, then crafting wines at the critically acclaimed Lewis Cellars, Neil not only has an imposing résumé, but he’s got his finger on Napa’s pulse like few others. 

He’s extremely tight-lipped about his vineyard sources, which should give you an idea of just how prestigious they are. But thanks to some serendipitous circumstances, he was able to secure complex and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec from celebrated AVAs—even during a 2018 vintage that Wine Spectator called “near picture-perfect” and James Suckling said, “could even prove to be a new benchmark for Napa Valley reds.”

Together with co-proprietor Mark Canepa—who regularly communes with top Napa winemakers in his work for Seguin Moreau, a premier cooperage—Neil has assembled an extensive list of personal connections throughout the Valley. Every year, he diligently scours that list for otherwise-unavailable grapes from top-tier vineyards, and he’s among the first to hear about them. If someone backs out of a contract in Rutherford, Neil’s there. If there’s a bumper crop from Howell Mountain, he’s already on the phone. If an acclaimed Calistoga estate has an extra half-ton, you get the idea. 

Tapping into the skill he honed at some of Napa’s top wineries, Neil blended the grapes from those renowned sites into a seamless red full of power. The wine received a luxurious cellar treatment, 15 months in 60% new French oak, a rest that unlocked even further depths while giving the all-star grapes an undeniable polish. 

This is the type of confluence of vintage, winemaker, and in-demand sources that rarely comes with a price like ours. Call it Neil’s expertise, call it good fortune, call it Wine Access connections, or call it all three. Either way, you’ll be calling it one of your new go-to Napa reds.