2023 The Messenger Cabernet Sauvignon 8 Napa Valley 750 ml

If you were to stand in the vines at Dominus and whack a solid tee shot across Highway 29, you’d hit another Yountville plot that’s just about as legendary—one famed for hauntingly memorable wines.

The cost of entry for that Cabernet is $140—unless you’re Rob McDonald, whose The Messenger label has long been a member-favorite for bold, opulent, NDA-protected wines.

“This is one of the most famous sites in the AVA,” Rob told us, reminding us that under no circumstances could we reveal the name of this historic Yountville site. “And that means you really, really can’t say anything about where the grapes come from.” 

Rob (and we) still can’t believe he got access to these prime grapes in the fantastic 2023 vintage. He blended in small lots from a few other sites—the site’s owners wanted to make sure he couldn’t claim it as a single-vineyard bottling—but the power and dark fruit at the core of the Cab is unmistakable. 

A long-time veteran of the California wine industry, Rob managed to get access to a small lot of grapes from this vineyard through some right-time, right-place serendipity. This top-secret vineyard is in high demand, but yields are variable—so each vintage can bring unexpected surpluses or drops in volume. In 2023, the extra went into Rob’s hands.

The vintage was excellent across the entire valley, and Rob crafted a bold, rich wine with impressive complexity. The nose explodes out of the glass with black cherries and plums, overlaid by dark chocolate, violets, and espresso grace notes. On the palate, there’s a beautiful lushness that provides a drink-now immediacy, and you’re rewarded with beautiful flavors of cassis, cacao nib, and vanilla.