“Robbie Meyer is obsessed with consistency; he believes every grape, every cluster, every grapevine should be meticulously managed.” – Wine Spectator

Being local in wine country has its perks.

Case in point - catching wind of little-known projects like this. Under the radar single-vineyard Cabernet from up near St. Helena, by a legendary winemaker. Released at $100 and yours for OVER 60% OFF!

Originally this wine was only available in select spots in New Orleans (read on to discover why.) Today it’s destined to your doorstep for a fraction of its inherent worth.

Twelfth Labour is a passion project. That’s what happens when you own an NFL team - the New Orleans Saints - along with an NBA franchise, and a brewery among other things. The next logical move?

Wine Spectator has the story: “Twelfth Labour is a collaboration Benson launched with her late husband, Tom Benson, the longtime Saints owner. “My husband, Tom, had a great passion for wine and always talked about how much fun it would be to have his own vineyard that made wines just the way he liked them,” said Gayle, in a statement. In 2015, they partnered with Ruston Family Vineyard in St. Helena to create the brand. John Ruston oversees the project, while consulting winemaker Robbie Meyer, who has worked at Peter Michael, Aubert, and Lewis Cellars, heads the winemaking.”

They explain “The name comes from the late Benson’s business career, which stretched from selling cars to banking to multiple sports franchises to brewing. Benson told his wife that wine would be his 12th industry. The label features Hercules subduing Cerberus, the three-headed hound of Hades, which was the famous hero’s 12th labor.” The wines were left to quietly age in the winery cellar waiting to be discovered like King Tut’s tomb. Luckily, they had reached prime condition when we unearthed them.

This 2016 is their inaugural release, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon primarily from a famous (yet unnamed due to an NDA) vineyard in Rutherford, backed by two other sites in Howell Mountain and Stags Leap District. It’s a mouth-filling, rugged style, with an ‘old school’ Napa feel to it. Dried herbs, dusty rose petals, and violets intermingle with a brambly basket of blackberry jam, black cherry, and bittersweet chocolate. The once formidable tannins have resolved into much softer, finer-grained friendly little guys.

As Wine Spectator advised “If you love California Cabernet Sauvignon, then clear some space in your cellar for the 2016 vintage. Rating a classic 98 points, it’s a benchmark year of stunning wines that will drink well in their youth and develop gracefully for decades.”

We got what we could, but will it be enough? Highly unlikely…