2019 OVID Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

OVID’s high-elevation outpost on Pritchard Hill features some of the most precious terroir in Napa Valley—and it comes across in every sip of their Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant OVID red wine.

The spectacular 2019 vintage gave us one of the estate’s best bottles ever, and one of the finest Napa wines of the season. Jeb Dunnuck, who once said OVID was on his list of “desert island wines,” crowned the 2019 with 100 points, praising it as “insanely pure” and “heavenly.”

Not long ago, we were thrilled to visit with OVID winemaker Austin Peterson, who shared what makes OVID’s place on Pritchard Hill so special. Sitting in the rain shadow of Mount Veeder, the property is extremely dry, so the grapes achieve tremendous concentration as they struggle in the red, rocky soils. Consisting of just twelve planted acres on one of the most exposed spots on Pritchard Hill, OVID is bathed in cool sunlight, and the grapes form thick skins that yield the most beautifully refined tannins imaginable.

Originally planted by David Abreu, OVID’s organically farmed vineyard is divided into 15 blocks. This allows Peterson to decide how to manage the canopy, how to employ shade cloth, and when to pick, all based on the specific needs of minute parcels of grapes. After harvest, the grapes are fermented using only native yeasts (largely in built-in-place concrete fermenters) and bottled without fining or filtration. 

This is an exquisite collectible that stands with the best in the world. Here’s to it thrilling you when the time comes.