MOONE-TSAI HOWELL MOUNTAIN HILLSIDE BLEND

NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 2015

A wine prized by serious wine enthusiasts and collectors, Moone-Tsai crafts extraordinary, limited production wines that are prized for their structure, balance and complexity. With Philippe Melka as their winemaker, his long-standing relationships with growers throughout Napa Valley have offered them the opportunity to source fruit from some of the most highly coveted vineyards including Pritchard Hill, To Kalon and Caldwell Vineyard. Furthermore, considering Melka’s resume that includes names such as Dominus, Hundred Acre and Bryant Family, there’s no doubt that Moone-Tsai has become a highly sought-after commodity. As Parker still regards Melka as one of the top consulting winemakers in the world and his vineyard-driven philosophy has guided the way, his partnership with Moone-Tsai has produced some of the region’s most highly acclaimed Cabernet on the market today, and their 2015 Howell Mountain Hillside Blend is no exception. 
 

A culmination of many years of combined experience in the Napa wine industry, Moone-Tsai began as a partnership between husband/wife team Larry and MaryAnne Tsai and Mike Moone. With over 40 years of experience, Mike Moone was President of Beringer Wine Estates and later founded Luna Vineyards along with Silverado Properties. First hired by Moone in 1989, MaryAnne helped create some of the California’s most acclaimed wines, including the legendary Bancroft Ranch Merlots of Beringer along with the heralded 1986 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet, 1991 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay and the 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages — all of which were named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year.

With less than 200 cases released in their first vintage, they have steadily grown and today they make under 2000 cases. As most of their wine is sold through their mailing list as well as at highly acclaimed restaurants, it’s a thrill to be able to offer the 2015 Hillside Red from this ultimate powerhouse producer. Using grapes from the east-facing hillside Ink Grade Vineyard as well as the Las Posadas Vineyard, the Hillside Blend has garnering acclaim with Parker and Antonio Galloni, calling it Moone-Tsai’s “most distinctive wine.” From steeply sloped, terraced vineyards that lie 2100 feet above the valley floor, thick-skinned clusters are produced, creating a wine of extraordinary intensity and structure. Aged for 26 months, the 2015 Howell Mountain Hillside Blend is “stunningly fragrant, rich, voluptuously textured wine with blueberry and blackberry liqueur notes intermixed with violets, subtle toast, and a full-bodied, expressive and expansive mouthfeel” (Robert Parker, Wine Advocate). Rich, dense and full-bodied, this is a beautiful Howell Mountain Cabernet that will age for decades. For up to 25% off, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to add this to your collection.