7 Cellars Elway's Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvigon '21

A collaboration with NFL legend John Elway, this Howell Mountain Cabernet is built for the long haul. Opaque purple-black in the glass, it offers a towering nose of crème de cassis, graphite, and a distinctive bay leaf note from the mountain fruit. The palate is massive yet polished - flavors of blackberry liqueur, dark chocolate, and espresso are framed by tannins that Robert Parker (97 pts) describes as "like finely woven silk." Aged 22 months in 80% new French oak (Darnajou and Taransaud), it needs until 2028 to fully integrate but already shows remarkable depth. Pair with dry-aged ribeye or venison. Only 225 cases produced.