2021 Clay Shannon Red Blend The David Lake County 750 ml

“For the concentration, depth, and the price, there’s nothing like it in Napa.”

That was Master Sommelier Sur Lucero’s verdict the first time he tasted Clay Shannon’s The David Red Blend. “You can print that,” he added. “This wine blew me away for the money.”

Sur had just returned from an overnight visit to the sprawling Clay Shannon estate, which covers 2,000 acres of High Valley AVA ridges and valleys on the east side of Clear Lake. That’s where he scored this 100% estate-grown, certified organic, high-elevation Bordeaux-style blend, drawn off low-yielding vineyards that are so steep two-man teams must use cables and ropes to get to the grapes in some places.

The blend, primarily composed of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, is from the winery’s best hilltop blocks, and delivers structure, polish, concentrated fruit, and the fine, earthy grit that is a hallmark of high-elevation appellations like Howell Mountain.

This is a big wine, befitting a big estate and the big vision of its owner, Clay Shannon. Next to vineyard impresario Andy Beckstoffer, who has also invested heavily in cultivating the region’s potential, practically no one else is operating on the same scale here.

With about half its total acreage covered by vines, the Clay Shannon estate practically boasts its own microclimate. The hills are windier than at the lake level, but warmer in the evenings. In the mornings, you can see the fog settling at lower elevations. These conditions, so conducive to vine health, help focus the ripening of the grapes. Berries are tiny, tannins are huge yet refined, and the resulting wine is so impressive it might just inspire you to go see the place yourself.