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{ SOMMjournal.com } 105 sourced from vineyards in Carneros and Pope Valley, and the Heritage Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, jewels exclusively sourced from Carneros. "We make a lot of amazing wines," Ralf tells me, "but I want to make sure this winery is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon." The Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon—a steal at $30—is the high-quality colt in the stable. Among the thoroughbreds is the Gaspare Single Vineyard, a 100-percent Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate. It showcases Black Stallion's terroir, which has an unusually high gravel content for Oak Knoll. Ralf postulates that the gravelly sediment descending from Stags Leap is responsible for the surprising intensity of the estate fruit. The 2012 debut vintage we tasted (250 cases, SRP $90) is an elegantly concentrated expression of deep black fruit and brown spices. Bucephalus (700 cases, SRP $150) is named for Alexander the Great's horse and is a blend of estate and Atlas Peak vineyard grapes. The 2013 is 84 percent Cabernet Sauvignon blended with six percent Syrah ("to pepper it up"), six percent Petit Verdot and four percent Merlot. By contrast, the "double-oaked" 2013 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Reserve (900 cases, SRP $98) is "made for people who love oak in their Cabernet." Unblended lots from Oakville, Oak Knoll, Atlas Peak and Howell Mountain spend their first 18 months in French oak barrels, then 20 percent of the blended wine revisits oak for another six months. The result is a robust tannin dynamo replete with black olives and cassis. The stallion in the winery's Cabernet Sauvignon program is the aptly named Transcendent (Limited production, SRP $175). "This is our cult wine," Ralf says unabash - edly. Transcendent is a skillful blend of the best barrels from mountain vineyards on Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, Diamond Mountain and Howell Mountain. The distinct con- tributions of the different AVAs come together in a powerfully dense wine with a silky mouthfeel and a finish that lasts into next week. If the 2012 vintage is any indicator of Transcendent's cult wine potential, then Black Stallion is off to the races. After tasting the barrel samples, Ralf hinted that the 2013 is even better. The entrance to the Black Stallion Estate Winery on the Silverado Trail Napa Valley. Fewer plantings make the Black Stallion Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $26) a limited-release rare breed. Offerings from the Cabernet program at Black Stallion include the Gaspare Vineyard Cabernet (SRP $90), which showcases the estate's terroir; the double-oak Barrel Reserve Cabernet (SRP $98); and Bucephalus (SRP $150), a blend of estate and Stagecoach Vineyard grapes named for Alexander the Great's horse.