Bevan - Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block 2014

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99 Points, Wine Advocate

"Another nearly perfect wine is the 125-case cuvée of 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vixen Block. This is Stags Leap, owned by former Screaming Eagle Vineyard owner and realtor Jean Phillips. A stunning floral nose intermixed with blackcurrant, black cherry, licorice and gravel is followed by a long, multidimensional wine with terrific blue and black fruits, loads of glycerin, sweet tannin and a stunning finish of more than a minute. This is spectacular stuff. Drink it over the next 20 years." (RP) (10/2016)

Russell Bevan has access to Vixen block within the Wildfoote Vineyards in the Stags Leap District. Purchased by Jean Phillips (founder of Screaming Eagle) in 2011 this 114-acre site was originally developed by Si and June Foote, the founders of the Napa Valley Land Trust. In 2022 Wildfoote Vineyard was purchased by Shafer Vineyards.

Bevan Description

Russell Bevan has a led a varied life. Born in Ukiah, CA he earned his Master's in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in Washington. His wine career began with working for a Gallo distributor, selling to grocery stores. Then, in the mid-’90s, he wrote a wine column for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. This gave him access to many of the great winemakers in California who later became mentors when he moved to Northern California.

In 2004, their friend Kal Showket (owner of Showket Vineyard, since sold to Peter Michael and now known as Au Paradis Vineyard) offered to sell him a ton of Cabernet Sauvignon. He leaped at the chance, and Bevan Cellars was born. By 2012, he was able to migrate a portion of the production to Napa. “That’s when things began to take off for Bevan Cellars,” said Russell. “We had a beautiful facility to host new customers and grow the brand.” By 2017, their Napa production had grown significantly, and they were invited by the Tench family to move into their newly built winemaking facility next to the Tench Vineyard. “With our strong ties to the vineyard source and the Oakville AVA, it was an obvious choice for us,” said Russell.

“We approach winemaking from a texture standpoint,” said Russell. “We know that special vineyards will give us flavor and aromatics, but managing textural balance is where the real magic lies."

-- Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent

Wine Advocate: 99 Points

Another nearly perfect wine is the 125-case cuvée of 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vixen Block. This is Stags Leap, owned by former Screaming Eagle Vineyard owner and realtor Jean Phillips. A stunning floral nose intermixed with blackcurrant, black cherry, licorice and gravel is followed by a long, multidimensional wine with terrific blue and black fruits, loads of glycerin, sweet tannin and a stunning finish of more than a minute. This is spectacular stuff. Drink it over the next 20 years. (RP) (10/2016)