The Cab Drop: September and October News

Harvest is here in Napa Valley, and the valley is happening. It's easily one of our favorite times of year… the mornings are cool, the air is perfumed with grapes, and there's that harvest energy you can only feel standing in it.

We'd love to have you join us to celebrate the season. But if you can't make it up this harvest for a visit* don't worry, as we're sending some of it your way. Winemaker Laura Barrett recently tasted us through this season's three Wine Drop selections, and we could NOT pick a favorite. We are popping the cork on these wines and can't wait for you to do the same.

*Members, don’t forget you can pay your visitation benefits forward to friends, family and colleagues visiting Napa Valley.

• Every 2 months we highlight wines we're most excited about.

• You'll receive a reminder 7 days before your shipment.

• You can customize or swap your wines anytime.

• Manage everything easily through your member portal.

• Use this as your guide to explore and plan your selections. 

Ripe cherry, vanilla, cedar — only 386 cases produced

High on Howell Mountain at 1,785 feet, our Croquet vines dig into red Aiken loam… a clay-rich soil that holds onto water and makes the vines work for every drop. The slope catches more sun than our neighboring Cold Springs Estate Vineyard, and you can taste that extra warmth in the glass.

Winemaker Laura Barrett hand-selects only the very best barrels for this tiny single-vineyard bottling, then gives it 20 months in French oak before it goes to bottle.

The result is big, bold, and unmistakably Howell Mountain — a longtime Cab Drop member favorite.

Pairs well with a juicy ribeye, wild mushroom risotto, or slow-cooked ragu. Or honestly, just for a Friday night that deserves something special. 

Chef Magnus recommends pairing with his recipe for Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Red Wine Seasoning and Blistered Grapes.

Blackberry, currant, and spice — only 340 cases produced

We farm two estate vineyards on Howell Mountain — one on the north face, one on the south. Same mountain, but different soils and different weather, which means two very different expressions of Cabernet. Every year we taste through both and pull only the standout barrels to build this wine.

Cima is Italian for "the peak" — and that's exactly what this is: the summit of everything we make.

Expect a rush of dark fruit on the nose — blackberry, blueberry, currant — layered with vanilla and warm spice. The palate is rich and chewy with a hint of wet stone underneath. It's beautiful now, and it has the structure to age for years if you can wait.

This is a wine for the milestone: the big birthday, the reunion, the promotion you earned. Or simply an evening you feel like making memorable. Pour it alongside beef stroganoff, a mushroom tart, filet mignon — or lean into it with a bacon-and-cheddar burger. 

Tobacco, cedar, Bing cherry, and ripe plum — only 450 cases produced

Tucked among tall evergreens on the south side of Howell Mountain, our Cold Springs vineyard is just 5.5 acres at 1,660 feet. The soil here is decomposed volcanic ash which drains fast and offers the vines almost nothing in the way of nutrition. That sounds like a problem, but it's the whole secret: the vines dig deep, grow slowly, and give us tiny, intensely flavored berries.

In the glass, it's classic Howell Mountain Cabernet: tobacco, cedar, Bing cherry, ripe plum, and a note of earth, with this vintage showing especially generous oak on the nose. It's full-bodied and rich through the middle, but 2018's cooler growing season gave it a bright line of acidity that keeps everything in balance… and the structure to age gracefully for years.

Pairs with that extra special night without the wait. We’ve pulled this wine from our library so it’s at its sweet spot for opening. Enjoy with a rack of lamb, stuffed portabellos, cacio e pepe or sip with an aged gouda and fresh figs. 

Andaz Napa Enjoy 20% off guest room rates 7 days a week with a Clif Family Rate.Andaz Napa is a boutique Hyatt hotel on First Street in downtown Napa with a contemporary, art-and-wine feel.
Book your room by visiting https://www.hyatt.com/andaz/en-US/apcrn-andaz-napa or calling (707) 687-1234

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese makes award-winning, sustainable artisan cheeses, including their famous flagship Original Blue using fresh milk from their own dairy cows overlooking Tomales Bay.
Use CLIFFAMILY20 to receive 20% when you shop www.pointreyescheese.com through October 31, 2026.

Rustic Bakery is a Marin County favorite known for its organic, handcrafted flatbreads, artisan crisps and cookies, baked fresh for its five Bay Area cafés. We've teamed up with Rustic on their Perfect Pairing program, matching their bites with our wines. One favorite is spicy N'duja, creamy ricotta and our Red Wine & Cracked Pepper Jelly on Rustic's Tart Cherry Cacao Nib & Almond Crisps, served with our 2022 Valle di Sotto Zinfandel. Use CLIF25 to receive 25% off when you shop www.rusticbakery.com through October 31, 2026.

PEJU Winery offers one of the most genuinely welcoming wine tasting experiences in the region — with options for every occasion, group size, and level of wine enthusiasm. A family-owned, female-led estate surrounded by their iconic vineyards and gardens. Clif Family Members receive 4 Complimentary Classic Tastings when you book here: PEJU Winery - Rutherford, CA. Use code CLIF to book your 4 Complimentary Tastings. Or shop their online store: Premium Napa Red, White & Rosé Wines | PEJU Winery | PEJU Winery and use code CLIF for 10% savings on your first purchase. Good through March 31, 2027

Tank Garage Winery is a unique tasting room located inside a restored 1930s gas station in Calistoga, California. The winery specializes in limited-production, one-off wine blends paired with vintage Americana decor. Clif Family Members receive a complimentary tasting for 4 when visiting. Book your experience here: https://www.exploretock.com/tankgaragewinery/ and when you arrive for your tasting identify yourself as a Clif Family Member to receive your complimentary tasting for 4. Or shop their online store https://www.tankgaragewinery.com/ for a 10% savings using code CLIFMEMBER10. Good through March 31, 2027

Other Member Partner Perks:
Lodging – Calistoga Motor Lodge, Harvest Inn, Inn at Southbridge and Senza Hotel
Wineries – Artesa, Markham, Crocker and Starr, and Sterling
Local Napa Businesses - Napa Gondola
Contact the Membership team at membership@cliffamily.com for further details.

• Access to the SECRET MENU on the Food Truck.

• 4 complimentary tastings at the Tasting Room (by reservation) anytime you visit.

• Pay your benefits forward — send friends and family for a complimentary tasting on your behalf, and you don't have to be present for their gift to apply.

• Membership pricing on all gift sets.

Need a refresher on all your member benefits? Check them out HERE.

• September 16th: Trivia & Japanese Street Food
• September 20th: Farm Fest 2026
• September 23rd: Sip & Support: Give BIG! St. Helena + Japanese Street Food Menu & Live Music
• September 26th: Peak Season Supper Series, Fall
• September 30th: Sip & Support: St. Helena Historical Society + Japanese Street Food Menu
• October 14th: Sip & Support: Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation + Street Food Menu & Live Music
• October 18th: October Sunday Social
• November 4th: Sip & Support: Friends & Foundation, St. Helena Public Library + Street Food Menu & Live Music
• November 27th - Annual Post-Turkey Day Brunch

Questions? We've got you. Feel free to ping the Membership Team at membership@cliffamily.com. We're happy to help with whatever you need!