Rudius is back.
A revival rooted in Napa Valley mountain Cabernet, built on elevation, patience, and the kind of precision that doesn’t need an introduction.Six wines. Two mountains. Five AVA's. One purpose:
to craft Cabernet Sauvignon that delivers power with restraint, and speaks clearly of place.
Rudius was born out of appreciation: for great wine, for the work it takes to create it, and for the people who share it.This release marks a return to what made Napa Valley mountain Cabernet iconic in the first place: structure, intensity, and longevity—with a modern lens that prioritizes clarity, balance, and detail over brute force.No noise. No shortcuts.
Just the mountains doing what they’ve always done best.
The Revival
Some brands disappear quietly—not because the wine stopped being special, but because the business behind it stopped making sense.Rudius returns as a focused revival: two mountain-designated Cabernets, sourced from two of Napa’s most respected AVAs, crafted with intention and built for collectors… and drinkers who trust their instincts.
The Winemaker
Chad Alexander brings a deep, hands-on understanding of Napa Valley mountain Cabernet—particularly the structured, high-elevation character that defines Howell Mountain.With experience shaped by his time working alongside the legendary mountain-focused legacy of Robert Craig, Chad’s approach is disciplined, site-driven, and uncompromising in the right ways: low yields, long élevage, and a relentless focus on texture, tannin, and purity of fruit.His winemaking doesn’t aim to impress quickly—it aims to stay with you.
The Wines
Six Cabernets. 100% varietal. 21 months in barrel.Each one crafted to express the distinct personality of its AVA—with polish, length, and unmistakable Napa authority.
Oakville — where power finds its grace.
Oakville at full volume—plush, layered, and unmistakably from the valley's most coveted neighborhood. Dark fruit you can feel before you taste it, tannins that round out where lesser Cabs go sharp.
2023 K.E. OAKVILLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Why people gravitate toward Oakville (single-vineyard expression): Oakville earns its reputation the hard way—decades of proof.Alluvial benchland soils, warm afternoons, and the late-day pull of Pacific fog naturally push Cabernet toward:
• opulence balanced by structure
• cassis, cocoa, and graphite tones
• polished, fine-grained tannins
• the rare ability to drink well young and age longerIt doesn't need to announce itself. The fruit does that.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• AVA: Oakville
• Aging: 21 months in barrel
• Oak Program: 40% New French Oak
Rutherford — Dust, depth, and the soul of Napa.
Cabernet with Rutherford's signature in every glass: dark fruit wrapped in that famous dusty grip. Built around earth and iron, not flash.
2023 RUTHERFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Why people gravitate toward Rutherford (AVA block): Rutherford has a fingerprint—and once you've tasted it, you find it every time.Valley-floor warmth, gravelly soils, and the mineral undercurrent the old-timers call "Rutherford dust" naturally pull Cabernet toward:
• structured tannins with a dusty, earthen edge
• dark cherry and black currant fruit
• savory, herbal complexity beneath the fruit
• a finish that lingers without leaning on weightTchelistcheff said it took Rutherford dust to grow great Cabernet. Hard to argue.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• AVA: Rutherford
• Aging: 21 months in barrel
• Oak Program: 35% New Oak
Howell Mountain doesn’t whisper. It resonates.
Howell Mountain Cabernet has a gravitational pull for a reason. It’s one of Napa’s original mountain benchmarks—known for dense concentration, serious structure, and age-worthy intensity that collectors chase year after year.
2023 P.V. HOWELL MOUNTAIN CABERNET SAUVIGNON
A single block on Howell Mountain, distilled. Mountain power with a finer point—smaller berries, deeper color, longer finish than the AVA on its own promises.Why people gravitate toward P.V. (single-vineyard expression): Vineyard designates exist for a reason. P.V. sits high on Howell Mountain, where elevation and volcanic soils already do the heavy lifting—and this block layers on its own dialect: tighter clusters, slower ripening, vintage-to-vintage consistency that earns it the label. Expect:
• concentrated dark fruit—blackberry, blueberry compote, cassis
• dense but precise mountain tannins
• cedar, graphite, and forest floor on the back end
• structure built for the long haulHowell Mountain teaches you patience. P.V. rewards it.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• AVA: Howell Mountain
• Vineyard Designate: P.V.
• Aging: 21 months in barrel
• Oak Program: 46% New, 54% 2nd Use
2023 HOWELL MOUNTAIN CABERNET SAUVIGNON
This is Cabernet with a backbone:
dark fruit depth, mountain tannin, and the kind of finish that lasts longer than most conversations.Why people gravitate toward Howell Mountain (AVA block): People don’t fall in love with Howell Mountain because it’s easy. They gravitate toward it because it’s true—a place where elevation, exposure, and volcanic soils naturally push Cabernet toward:
• power without sweetness
• structured tannins
• dark, layered fruit
• long-term cellar promiseIt’s not built for instant approval. It’s built for legacy.96 Points - The Tasting Panel
Dusky and dense, with impactful notes of chocolate ganache, blackberries, and licorice. Its strength comes from within, a humming engine of glassy tannins, with an outward grace.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• AVA: Howell Mountain
• Aging: 21 months in barrel
• Oak Program: 23% New French Oak
Elegance at altitude. Tension with polish.
Diamond Mountain has always been one of Napa Valley’s most compelling Cabernet neighborhoods—an AVA with a reputation for producing wines that balance mountain intensity with lift, refinement, and definition.
2023 DIAMOND MOUNTAIN CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Where some mountain Cabernets flex muscle, Diamond Mountain often delivers something rarer: focus.Diamond Mountain sits among Napa’s most storied hillside sites—an area that helped define what mountain Cabernet could be: age-worthy, structured, and unmistakably Napa.This is a region with a deep bench of heritage and a long-standing reputation for Cabernet that carries both gravitas and finesse—wines that don’t just show power… they show precision.98 Points - The Tasting Panel
Intense and deeply profound, with sun-soaked blackberries surrounded by melted dark chocolate and a mineral tone from notes of roasted coffee. Earthy, with leather and tobacco intensifying on mid-palate. A release of juicy black plum is astride a mouthfeel of fleshy tannins.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• AVA: Diamond Mountain District
• Aging: 21 months in barrel
• Oak Program: 30% New French Oak
The name says everything. The wine delivers it.
There's a reason Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon remains the benchmark by which all others are measured. This is the heartland—a mosaic of world-class soils, microclimates, and vineyard sites that collectively produce some of the most sought-after red wine on the planet.
2023 NAPA VALLEY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Rich, structured, and unmistakably Californian, this is Cabernet that balances power with generosity, depth with accessibility, and intensity with elegance.Why people gravitate toward Napa Valley: Napa Valley Cabernet isn't defined by a single vineyard or a single style. It's defined by a standard—one built over decades of exceptional winemaking and a relentless pursuit of quality. People return to it because it delivers:
• dark, concentrated fruit with natural balance
• approachable structure with age-worthy depth
• a sense of place that no other region can replicate
• consistent excellence vintage after vintageIt's not just a wine. It's a reference point.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• AVA: Napa Valley
• Aging: 21 months in barrel
• Oak Program: 40% New French Oak
Philosophy
We believe the best wines are built with patience — in the vineyard, in the cellar, and in the decisions no one sees.Rudius is a return to that mindset: craft first. place always.
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