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. 

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• 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!