Lot 19 is a Founding Member exclusive — a 2023 Rutherford District Cabernet Sauvignon that Cam called the showstopper of a high-end dinner alongside a 100-point Rutherford Cab and white Burgundy Grand Crus. No source guess per Cam’s request. See also: Lot 14, Lot 41.
Lot Overview
- Region: 100% Rutherford District (east side alluvials just inside the Silverado Trail, “F2 adjacent” single vineyard)
- Vintage: 2023
- Varietal: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec
- Oak Aging: 100% new French oak
- Alcohol: 14.8%
- Cases Available: ~98
- Cam Price: ~$33.25/bottle ($399/case)
- Retail Estimate: $250–300/bottle
- Claude’s Source Guess: Founding Member exclusive — no guess published
- Drink Window: 2027–2045 (peak 2030–2040)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Funny story…the other night I joined some friends for a very high-end wine dinner pouring a “who’s who” of white Burgundy, Italian Barolos and a 100-point 2021 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.
I just happened to have brought along a bottle of CAM X Lot 4 2023 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay as well as a bottle of today’s offer, CAM X Lot 19 2023 Rutherford District Cabernet Sauvignon.
I have to admit the $1000 bottle of Leflaive 2018 Puligny Montrachet Grand Cru was mind-blowingly FANTASTIC, the bouquet alone was worth the price of entry, just phenomenal. But, dammit, the Lot 4 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay actually held its own for about 1% of the price. I thought that was pretty cool and the crowd was beyond impressed. Can’t wait for you folks to get your first taste.
HOWEVER, the showstopper was Lot 19 2023 Rutherford District Cabernet Sauvignon.
Folks, if you buy one Cabernet Sauvignon from me this year, this is the one.
The wine came to me from a friend who used to manage the production and barrel storage for this entity during a facility transition many years ago. I was initially going to get six barrels but my friend ended up keeping two. Fair enough, but dang it, I really would have loved to have those two extra barrels.
The producer made their legendary reputation pioneering California Pinot Noir from the 80’s forward but have spread their “wings” under new ownership to include a broad, indeed encyclopedic, array of single-vineyard designated varietals from California’s Grand Cru vineyards.
The vineyard in question today, located on the east side alluvials just inside the Silverado Trail, lets call it F2 adjacent (the name is tightly controlled to put it mildly), is certainly one of those. Combine some of the best blocks in the vineyard, 100% new French oak, and world-class winemaking with a legendary brand and you’ve got a $250-$300 bottle of wine.
Today it’s yours, no kidding, not for $299 per bottle (winery price) but for just $399 per case.
Is it worth it? The reaction at the table was the same as mine vis-a-vis the Grand Cru white burg…mind-blown. Nobody could believe this wine held its own against a $700+, 100-point Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon…but it did. Not only that, it did so with just a month in the bottle.
The main difference? Focus. The 100-point wine has a good 700-1000 feet of elevation behind it hence still tightly wound with brilliant focus. In a word, magnificent, and still a baby.
Lot 19 on the other hand, was a total knockout. Pure, effusive, fleshy and potent, it was fleshier in style but still brilliantly composed and powerfully structured. Liquid silk on the palate with tremendous energy behind it. Quite frankly, the most amazing part is the absolutely seamless wood integration, astonishing for a wine with 100% NFO. And it’s only going to get better.
So there you have it…
Legendary producer? Check.
Legendary vineyard? Check.
Brilliant winemaker? Check.
$250+ price point? Check.
World-class winemaking protocols? Check.
100% new French Oak? Check.
Tasting Notes
Opaque, squid ink in the glass. Initially a black hole of a bouquet with a convex nose that pulls you down into the glass. However, it quickly blooms with a stunning aromatic array of signature Rutherford dust, red rock, black earth, with sweet purple florals that halo gobs of raspberry kirsch, boysenberry, and creme de mure framed with chocolate and seasoned oak. So much here it almost overpowers the senses. Ripe, seamless and perfectly integrated on the palate, deep dark delicious with ripe black and red fruits, graphite and earth welded to perfectly integrated oak. Incredibly rich and lush on the palate but with ample verve as the powerful yet open knit structure unfurls an energizer bunny of a finish. As it opens further, the fruit comes to the fore showcasing blackberry pie, dark chocolate, white flowers, graham cracker and black pepper. This is a magnificent wine with a stunning, magic carpet ride structure, fantastic mineral laced tannins and perfect balance combined with phenomenal complexity and seamless integration. YUM.
⏳ Bottle Shock Status: Bottled 6/27/25. Allow minimum 18–24 months — 14.8% alc and 100% new French oak need serious integration time.
About This Lot
Lot 19 was a Founding Member exclusive offer, available only to CAM X’s earliest subscribers. It is not publicly available and no source guess is published at Cam’s request. The wine came to Cam through a friend who managed production and barrel storage for this entity during a facility transition — a chance connection that yielded four barrels of a $250-300/bottle Rutherford Cab from a legendary producer better known for pioneering California Pinot Noir, now operating under new ownership with an encyclopedic single-vineyard program spanning California’s Grand Cru sites.
Drink Window
Early: 2027 — 14.8% alc and 100% new French oak bottled June 2025 need minimum 18-24 months.
Peak: 2030–2040. East side Rutherford alluvial Cab from a $250-300/bottle program has a genuine 15-20 year arc.
Hold: 2045. The structure and pedigree support multi-decade cellaring.
My Call: ⏳ Drink window: 2027–2045 (peak 2030–2040)