“…one of California’s great terroirs.” – Antonio Galloni, Vinous

March madness is upon us. In a different sense. At OVER 65% OFF (that’s right, OVER $100 OFF per bottle)! Call a timeout on whatever you have going on this Sunday morning. Make a gameplan and lock in this bold, muscular, and complex, Cabernet.

Got some? Good. Insert obligatory “slam dunk” reference…

So, what’s the story?

First, enter our champions… Dwyane Wade – Three-time NBA Champion and LEGEND. He’s long been a wine super-fan. But meeting Jayson Pahlmeyer – yes, that PAHLMEYER? That made him consider launching a winery of his own. In 2014, the pair joined forces to start Wade Cellars.

And let’s just say, Wade doesn’t do anything half-assed.

“Basketball legend Dwyane Wade, a three-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat, brings that same precision and flair to his Napa Valley winery, Wade Cellars.” mentions Wine & Spirits. “Wade is actively involved in the business, from branding to blending sessions, to ensure his personal touch is present in every bottle. Wade has also become an active member of the wine community and a valued industry mentor. In 2021, he joined the Executive Leadership Board for the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis.”

In other words, this isn’t just an ego-stroking label. He’s in the game, like EA Sports. Wade is as much a fixture of the community as Pahlmeyer.

The best games have an underdog, though.

That would be the vineyard. Moon Mountain is perhaps one of the great unrecognized terriors in California.

“Nestled in the Mayacamas Mountains just east of the town of Sonoma, the Moon Mountain District is one of the most exciting emerging appellations in California. These hillside vineyards offer an intriguing mix of the old and the new, a melting pot of historic vineyards, established players and a generation of younger winemakers who are bringing their energy and enthusiasm to these sites.” raves Vinous.

Maybe a better way to look at it…

Do you love dense fruit, herbal toned, super-firm Napa Valley Cabernet? Stuff from the mountains (like Mount Veeder)? Some of these mountains extend into Sonoma County, and the name changes (like Moon Mountain). But you get the same muscular intensity. Often at a fraction of the price.

Vinous continues, “many producers use the broader Sonoma Valley and/or Sonoma County AVAs for wines made from Moon Mountain fruit.” They then call out that, “The parallel would be making a wine from Vosne-Romanée fruit and opting to label that wine Côte de Nuits or even Côte-d’Or. In my view, this is a missed opportunity to elevate the visibility of one of California’s great terroirs.”

The Maus Vineyard specifically is renown for its bold, powerful Cabernet. It’s farmed by the legendary Chuy Ordaz. Ad called “Wine Country’s unsung hero,” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Ordaz planted many of the iconic vineyards on Moon Mountain in the 1970’s, continues to farm them, and has long been an outspoken advocate for organic farming. A local legend.

The two champions and the underdog team up to bring this winning effort. It’s a bold, power-forward of a Cabernet. Densely packed with well-toned blackberry and blueberry fruit, complex toasty oak, and hints of wild herbs and exotic spices. The tannins are muscular but supple, crackling with a lithe energy that lingers long.

Like the joy of March Madness, this deal will be over before you know it. Time to take your shot!