Calculated Risk, Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Selection Napa Valley, 2023

If we had to bet our lives that you’d love one wine, this would be it—no questions asked! We just scored a parcel of the 2023 Calculated Risk "Barrel Selection" and my word, is it ever a stunner! Crafted by the visionary team at Grand Napa, this wine is a tribute to the risk-takers—the ones who weigh the odds, trust their gut, and leap. Sourced from responsibly farmed, "secret" pedigree sites in St. Helena and Calistoga, this is serious juice that usually disappears faster than a winning lottery ticket. Winemaker Dwight Bonewell certainly didn’t hold back on this 2023—a vintage many are already calling "the vintage of a lifetime." This beauty was aged for 18 months in a sleek combo of 40% new French oak and 60% two-year-old barrels, resulting in a deep ruby hue that leads to a powerful nose of graphite, mocha, and dense black and blueberry fruit. On the palate, it is full-bodied but refined, offering a plush texture that masterfully balances red currants, cedar, and liquorice against savoury, earth-driven tannins. I pity the fool who misses out on this—it’s time to risk it for the biscuit and make some yours while it lasts!