This newly released vintage of Leslie's Estate Red is a tribute to Rudd Estate's founder, Leslie. It comes from their Mt. Veeder vineyard, which is situated between 800-1600 feet in elevation. During the initial development phase, Leslie took me on a drive to show me the somewhat untamed property and potential areas of the hillside for vineyard planting. He stumbled upon this property a few years prior during one of his countless unplanned drives, discovering parts of Napa Valley he had not seen before. The Rudd team has taken a long and deliberate journey to reach this point of offering an Estate Red from this site, which began with the 2016 vintage. While the white varietals impressed us from the very beginning, the red varietals took their time to mature. However, thanks to their in-house vineyard and winemaking team, now led by Natalie Bath, their patience and perseverance have paid off. Equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot balancing the blend, this 2019 offers the quality and opulence that comes with this vintage. Dark cocoa, cedar and crushed rocks balance out the rich notes of wild berries and cherries.