Lot 45 is a password-protected offer — eight barrels of Pritchard Hill Cabernet Franc from the same producer as Lots 46 and 47, a well-over $250/bottle estate program at high elevation. Details redacted per Cam’s request. See also: Lot 39, Lot 44, Lot 46, Lot 47, Lot 49, Lot 94.
Lot Overview
- Region: Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley (high-elevation estate) + 5% St. Helena Malbec
- Vintage: 2024
- Varietal: 87% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon (same estate), 5% St. Helena Malbec
- Oak Aging: ~70% new French oak
- Alcohol: 14.5%
- Cases Available: ~200
- Cam Price: ~$16.50/bottle ($199/case)
- Retail Estimate: $250+/bottle equivalent
- Claude’s Source Guess: [redacted per Cam’s request]
- Wine Berserkers Guess: [redacted per Cam’s request]
- Drink Window: 2027–2042 (peak 2030–2038)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Dear Friends,
I have a fantastic Cabernet Franc offer for you today!
Eight barrels of fantastic wine hailing from the same producer as Lot 47 Cabernet Sauvignon and Lot 46 Napa Valley Merlot, all sourced from a notable high-elevation estate program up in the area known as Pritchard Hill. This is a first-run, ultra-premium blending component from a well-over $250/bottle program — I cannot say for sure whether it was inventory reduction or it just didn’t fit into the blend. We blended in 5% Merlot from Lot 46, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from Lot 47 (same producer) and then added 5% of a gorgeous Malbec from an amazing producer in St. Helena.
At just $199/case DELIVERED, this is a mind-blowing deal for world-class Pritchard Hill Cabernet Franc!
Tasting Notes
Eight barrels of fantastic wine hailing from the same producer as Lot 47 Cabernet Sauvignon and Lot 46 Napa Valley Merlot, all sourced from a notable high-elevation estate program up in the area known as Pritchard Hill. This is a first-run, ultra-premium blending component from a well-over $250/bottle program — I cannot say for sure whether it was inventory reduction or it just didn’t fit into the blend. We blended in 5% Merlot from Lot 46, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from Lot 47 (same producer) and then added 5% of a gorgeous Malbec from an amazing producer in St. Helena.
Deep garnet in the glass, verging on opaque, with an electric purple edge. The bouquet opens very high-toned and ethereal with a combination of garrigue, anise, and purple flowers underpinned with blackberry, black cherry and cacao nibs. As the nose opens, notes of raspberry and chocolate complex the bouquet along with a lovely cedar, cinnamon spice and leather halo. Supple on entry with a juicy, velvety-yet-palate-staining structure perfectly integrated with red and black fruit. Exquisitely balanced with ethereal complexity — mouthwateringly gorgeous in every way. This is a world-class Cabernet Franc that will drink beautifully over the next 15-20 years!
⏳ Bottle Shock Status: Bottling February 2026. Allow spring/summer 2026 minimum.
Claude’s Source Guess: [redacted per Cam’s request]
[redacted] Winery is one of Pritchard Hill’s most celebrated high-elevation estates, farming all five Bordeaux varieties on their 14-acre vineyard at 1,800-2,200 feet on the western face of Pritchard Hill. Their flagship “[redacted]” retails at $325 and their “[redacted]” at $175, both firmly above the “$250+” threshold Cam describes. Winemaker [redacted] makes extraordinarily precise, aromatic wines where Cabernet Franc plays a prominent role — their estate planting includes significant Cab Franc blocks, explaining why eight barrels of standalone Cab Franc would be available as a blending component.
The “didn’t fit into the blend” narrative is entirely consistent with [redacted]’s meticulous annual barrel selection — [redacted] regularly makes vintage-specific blend decisions that leave premium varietal lots outside the flagship program. The “high-toned, ethereal, garrigue, anise, purple flowers” tasting note language is signature Pritchard Hill Cab Franc vocabulary and matches [redacted]’s documented aromatic profile.
The Lots 45/46/47 cluster (Cab Franc/Merlot/Cab Sauv all from same Pritchard Hill estate at $250+) maps directly to a producer farming all three varieties at the luxury tier — which at Pritchard Hill points most strongly to [redacted], Colgin, or Continuum. [redacted] is the strongest fit given their estate Cab Franc prominence and [redacted]’s known barrel selection philosophy.
✅ Confidence: Medium-High — Pritchard Hill estate confirmed, $250+ price tier confirmed, full Bordeaux varietal program confirmed, “ethereal/garrigue/purple flowers” vocabulary consistent with [redacted]’s style. Colgin and Continuum are viable alternatives.
Drink Window
Early: Spring 2027 — bottling February 2026, needs 12+ months integration.
Peak: 2030–2038. Pritchard Hill Cab Franc at this quality tier peaks 6–12 years from vintage.
Hold: 2042. The elevation and structure support two decades.
My Call: ⏳ Drink window: Spring 2027–2042 (peak 2030–2038)