94 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, May 1997

A well-crafted red from a small-production winery, this Cabernet is young, tight and well concentrated, with a brilliant core of currant, black cherry, cedar and spice nuances. Big, ripe, complex and firmly tannic, it should age well for up to a decade and, given the tannin level (and price), it's best cellared until 2002. 175 cases made. -JL

94 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, December 1996

The 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon is the last wine made from the original vineyard plantings. The opaque purple color is accompanied by an explosive bouquet of blackcurrants and cherries, intermingled with toasty, new oak. Full-bodied, with a lead pencil, cedary, cassis-like characteristic not dissimilar from a high class Pauillac, this tightly-knit yet formidably-endowed Cabernet Sauvignon should last for 20-25 years. I hope the handful of multi-millionaires who latch onto a bottle or two will have enough patience to cellar it for 5-6 years before pulling a cork. These limited production gems certainly merit the hyperbole and accolades they receive. This wine is only available via the winery's mailing list, and I am sure there are more potential suitors than wine to be sold. Current production has dwindled, largely because much of the vineyard is in the process of being replanted due to the phylloxera scourge. For example, in 1995 only the upper block of the vineyard was in production. Only 75 cases will emerge from this vintage, further ensuring a preposterously high price. In 1994 there are 175 cases. These beautifully made wines are among the finest Cabernets in California. I rarely report on them because they are, for all intents and purposes, unobtainable. Yet there is no doubting the high quality aspirations of the owner, and the skills exhibited by winemaking consultant Heidi Barrett in the production, aging, and bottling of these 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

About Winery

The Grace family moved to the Napa Valley in 1976 and planted vines initially as a family hobby.  The first harvest in 1978 was tasted by Caymus proprietor Charlie Wagner.  He recognized the extreme quality of the fruit and  immediately purchased their fruit to produce one of the first vineyard designates to come out of Napa. Subsequently, Grace Family Vineyard became one of the first true "cult" wines.

The Grace family's mission statement reads "Wine as a catalyst for healing our planet".  They desire to impart harmony and optimism to those who consume their highly-rated boutique wines, a message again enforced by the inscription on their corks, "Be Optimystic".

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