Bella Union is a sub-brand of Far Niente, a Napa Valley staple. It has a Far Niente-reminiscent Art Nouveau label style, and is named after a late 1880's Deadwood, South Dakota brothel depicted in the outstanding HBO series Deadwood. Let's just say that it was a slightly classier brothel and casino than some that preceded it. On to the wine... It is delicious. Winemaker Brooke Price and consulting winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown have delivered the goods here. It's seamless, focused, even from beginning to end, and it almost reminds me of a Michel Rolland wine, where it's hard to describe what you love about it except that it is so well blended that everything fits together. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end to this vinous book, and the pages turn every second after you take a sip. There are wines that elevate a certain terroir or place, and those can be stellar teaching moments. I think this wine is a little different than those. Yes, I think it is definitely a Napa Valley Cabernet, but what it emphasizes is skilled blending and it's straight-up a wine-making clinic This is really good wine at a fair price, all pedigree considered. (94 Points)
- Tim Teichgraeber
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