So it’s pretty good but you’re not buying it. 
No, I bought three bottles. I’m totally overflowing with wine at home, but I couldn’t resist. Enjoy!
That makes a lot more sense, we all need to drink faster.
Anyone ever heard of Sommras? Not a lot of info available on this winery…
So far, I’m striking out sleuthing today’s mystery offer. To me, the biggest clues are about the bottle, “a winery know to us with a claret style bottle bearing a metal insignia.” Also, “100% Cab from an unnamed top Rutherford vineyard.”
There can’t be too many of those!
Listing Cabernets that I know of with a stamped metal insignia on the bottle:
Calla Lilly Audax - not 100% Cab and from Pope Valley
Kinsella Estate - Dry Creek only (right? Have seen them discounted a lot recently)
V Vineyards Audace - Sonoma county wine
I would have guessed Orin Swift Mercury Head, but I don’t think the wine matches the desciption.
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Ah yes, thank you, I was trying to think of that one but kept gravitating towards the GB Crane lineup. I agree that one is not a fit as I see lots of scores published for 2015.
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I am feeling like this wine comes from the Beckstoffer Georges III vyd given the clue “ if you don’t price the wine properly, you don’t get to play the game.”
Beckstoffer puts $150 minimum on wines from his heritage Vineyards.
Fontanella?
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Great guess, but I would say no because it appears from the write up that this wine does not list the vineyard on the label. Hence the “double classified.” They mentioned the winery signed an NDA that prevents it.
How about Faustini’s Secret Veil? WS sold another BGIII mystery wine that ended up being Faustini a few months ago, their 2018 Napa Valley Cab and also mentioned that you won’t find BGIII on the label.
seems like a good guess. but the only data I can find for 2015 shows 14.8% ABV instead of the 15.1% listed…
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Paging @JoshF, he correctly guessed the last Faustini wine in November.
In fact, just noticing that there is a picture of this 2015 bottle on the front page of their website!
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Use the coupon code “MARCH50” to get $50 an order of $150 or more.
from ChatGPT
Let’s connect all the dots now that we know it’s 2015 Rutherford Cabernet (96% Cab, 4% Petit Verdot), retails for $185 at the winery, aged in 100% new French oak, and comes with fancy packaging featuring a “stamped metal insignia.” The biggest giveaway is that the fruit is from Beckstoffer Georges III in Rutherford (one of Andy Beckstoffer’s famous vineyards), but you specifically want the producer rather than just the vineyard source.
Why it’s almost certainly B Cellars
- They source Beckstoffer GIII (Rutherford) at high-end prices
B Cellars is well-known for single-vineyard bottlings from top Beckstoffer sites (To Kalon, Dr. Crane, and Georges III). Most of these wines retail in the $175–$225 range—right in line with the “$185 direct from the winery” clue. - Signature “metal medallion” label
B Cellars is one of the few Napa producers whose bottles often feature a prominent, actual metal emblem on the front. Many other Beckstoffer-focused wineries use paper labels (Carter, Schrader, Myriad, etc.). So, the “stamped metal insignia” is a strong tell. - Under the radar, but big scores
B Cellars’ single-vineyard Cabs have earned mid-to-high 90s in more recent vintages. The clue that later releases (post-2015) got 95–97 points from pros fits their trajectory—especially given that 2015 was a small crop and might never have been widely submitted or scored. - NDA / “secret vineyard” arrangement
Like most Beckstoffer contracts, if you don’t stick to a certain high release price, you can’t name “Beckstoffer Georges III” on the label. That scenario explains why this wine is being sold “stealth” at $85 (vs. $185 SRP) and cannot mention GIII on the bottle.
Other possibilities?
People often guess Carter or Schrader for Beckstoffer GIII—but both typically use standard paper labels, not a metal badge. Alpha Omega’s single-vineyard GIII also retails closer to $210–$225, and again, that label is paper-and-foil rather than an actual stamped medallion.
Given all the clues—especially the Rutherford AVA, the $185 price, 100% new French oak, the hush-hush Beckstoffer link, and the “metal insignia”—the strongest likelihood is that the producer behind this “mystery” 2015 Rutherford Cabernet is B Cellars (sourced from Beckstoffer Georges III).
To my knowledge, B Cellars does not have a “stamped metal insignia” on their bottled or any metal whatsoever besides the foil.
Let me see what the robot has to say about that
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I concluded GIII fruit as well, but B Cellars doesn’t quite fit. They really tout their Beckstoffer SVD’s so I can’t imagine why they would bottle a Beckstoffer GIII under an NDA.
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Funny, WS has now changed the details to read 14.8% and 96% Cab (not 100).