Duke of Bourbon: E-mail Specials

The Duke is ever on the alert for the rarest of the rare, significant bottlings and the finest packaging. This one, ZD Cabernet Sauvignon, Abacus, might just be a triple-threat=2E (Note the lack of a vintage designation in the name of the wine.)

ZD, established in 1969, is located on the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. They are well-known for producing outstanding wines, notably Cabernet Sauvignon.

Abacus combines the best qualities of an aged wine with the best of a youthful wine together in one sumptuous mouthful. Incredible depth and complexity along with a deep, lingering finish are backed by an intense fruit character.

The concept was born on a de Leuze family retreat, when ZD Winemaster, Robert, and his brother, Brett, were enjoying a wonderful old Cabernet Sauvignon. They agreed that the deep complexity and subtle nuances that develop in older wines are always accompanied by a loss of fruit. What if there was a way to blend the elegance of an older Cabernet Sauvignon with the intensity of fruit found in a younger wine?

Always eager to accept a challenge, Robert took on the task of creating such a wine unlike any other produced in the world. The result is a "solera-style" multiple-vintage blend of every ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ever produced held in barrel until bottling.

The first bottling, with the 1992 - 1998 vintages, was released November 1, 1999. Approximately 15% of the total blend was bottled in distinctive custom bottles, totaling 200 cases. The remainder was returned to barrel to await the next infusion of youthful fruit. Prior to the second bottling, the 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was added to the blend. This is the ongoing cycle of the ever-evolving solera - each year Abacus will increase by one vintage, gaining more and more complexity. It truly stands as a legacy to all future ZD winemakers.

To say this is a stunning wine may be an understatement=2E It has a beautiful aroma, a delicious, elegant flavor with a long, lovely finish. This gem will really show you pleasure as you age or drink it. We rated Abacus a classic wine, 95+ on the Duke's scale. The Duke has this rare and precious bottling available for $375.00 per bottle. Buy a 3-pack for $1,075.00 and save $50.00

The packaging lives up to the wine - the bottle itself (pictured above) is produced in a custom mold and comes in a velvet-lined box with the Abacus charm (pictured left) on the neck, showing the beginning and ending vintages for the initial bottling of this unique wine in 1999. This is the eighth bottling, which includes vintages 1992-2006.

Call today to get your share of this hard-to-find gem!