2021 The Crane Assembly Disciples Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

There’s no matching The Crane Assembly’s high-octane reds—they push the limits of ripeness and exuberance like no others in Napa Valley. And of their whole lineup, the biggest bang for the buck is their Disciples Red Wine, a Zin- and Petite Sirah–heavy blend that reminds us of the first time we tasted The Prisoner so many years ago. The complexity is kaleidoscopic, the depth is oceanic, and the intensity is captivating.

Bursting with aromas of blackberry, cherry pie, clove, cinnamon, espresso, and sandalwood, the wine delivers rich fruit on its dazzlingly intricate palate, with flavors that astound: cherry, blackberry, eucalyptus, allspice, pink peppercorn, and mocha, all woven together with seamless tannins. It manages to be both dense and lifted at once, and resolves in a finish that lingers and invites another sip, then another… until the bottle is history. 

Dave Phinney and Kevin Fox have worked together since the days of The Prisoner. At Crane Assembly, Phinney wanted to highlight Fox as a winemaker. In the immaculate 2021 vintage, they tapped an all-star selection of vineyards: Stoll Vineyard at the base of Atlas Peak provides Petite Sirah, and then a selection of luminaries round out the wine: Blue Ridge, one of the highest-altitude sites in the valley, lends its old-vine Zin, while Stagecoach Vineyard contributes Grenache and Syrah.

Although seamless blending and perfect polish are no easy task, Phinney and Fox’s talents make Crane Assembly wines feel effortless. The 2021 Disciples is a perfectly harmonized blend of impeccable raw ingredients, a wine of brooding power and incredible breadth. It’s a California masterpiece.