Caymus Cabernet Next Door Neighbor in NAPA

We love this new discovery from the ultimate ’boutique’ vineyard (only 7 acres) just next door to Caymus. This wine is named after “Bacchus,” the Roman god of wine and intoxication, equated with the Greek Dionysus. The Bacchanalia, orgies in honor of Dionysus, were introduced in Rome around 200 BCE. These infamous celebrations, notorious for their ‘exotic’ (and criminal) character, got so out of hand that they were forbidden by the Roman Senate in 186 BCE.

THE WINE INSIDERS “OUTSTANDING 93″ Rating: “This truly hedonistic new creation is ‘divinely’ inspired and extremely tasty for a wine available for such a down-to-earth price tag. Bacchanal reminds us of everything we love about Napa Cabernet: big, bold, luscious fruit with complex herbaceous notes that delivers and experience that is sumptuous now but promises to reveal even more grandeur for anyone patient enough to cellar 2 – 3 years, peaking around 2012 in our estimate. 93 points!”

MARTIN ESTATE is located in Block B of the original Caymus Land Grant, in the heart of Napa Valley’s premium Cabernet Sauvignon region now known as the “Rutherford Appellation”. The property functioned as the H.H. Harris Winery until Prohibition. In 1909 Harris leased his fully equipped building to Georges de Latour. The 1909 vintage crushed at the Harris Winery yielded some 50,000 gallons of wine, which would be the first wine sold under the Beaulieu Vineyard trademark. The next year, Georges de Latour again leased the old winery, producing a total of 100,000 gallons. This was the last time that wine was made in the magnificent H.H. Harris Winery. In 1941, the imposing stone building was renamed “Puerta Dorada” and transformed into an elegant country chateau. But the upkeep of the estate was not easy. Financial problems caused the property to fall into disrepair, and well over 50,000 bats called the structure home. The property was purchased in 1996 by Greg Martin, a collector and wine aficionado who had achieve success selling antique armor and guns. In the mid-1990’s, the Estate Vineyard was planted, and the H.H. Harris Winery was resurrected as MARTIN ESTATE after ninety years of dormancy. We visited this unique property for the first time in 2007 for a private dinner and tasting with the Martin family. They are a gracious couple and the food & wine was superb. The interior décor is quite unusual as the walls are covered with antique suits of armor and weapons. Also, many animal ‘trophies’ are proudly displayed throughout the home.

This wine is currently available for $49 (click here)