2018 Hundred Acre Ark Vineyard

The 2018 Hundred Acre Ark Vineyard is a powerful, single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, crafted for collectors and enthusiasts who seek richness, precision, and longevity in their cellar. Sourced from the famed Ark Vineyard, this bottling captures the pure, sculpted intensity that has made Hundred Acre a modern Napa cult icon. With its combination of opulent fruit, luxurious texture, and impressive structure, the 2018 Ark is built both for immediate indulgence and for graceful evolution over time.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2018 Ark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon shows a deep, opaque ruby-purple hue, hinting at its concentration and youth. The nose is layered and expressive, opening with fresh-crushed blackcurrants, black and red berries, and cassis, followed by notes of black cherry, blackberry, and black raspberry. With air, more complex nuances emerge: warm earth, graphite, cocoa, subtle dried herbs, and a touch of sweet spice. On the palate, this is full-bodied, lavish, and velvety, with a core of dense, ripe black fruit framed by fine-grained, almost plush tannins. Flavors of cassis, black cherry, and black raspberry are interwoven with dark chocolate, espresso, and a subtle minerality that reflects the vineyard’s rocky soils. Despite its richness, the wine retains focus and drive, with vibrant acidity balancing the opulence. The finish is long, persistent, and savory, trailing with earthy, slightly smoky and mineral notes. While already highly enjoyable with extended aeration, the 2018 has significant aging potential; expect 15–20+ years of evolution in a proper cellar, during which the tannins will further polish and the tertiary notes (cedar, truffle, tobacco) will deepen.

Production
Ark Vineyard sits on a dramatic, elevated site in Napa Valley, known for its rocky, low-yielding soils and excellent exposure, which together produce intensely flavored, small-berried Cabernet Sauvignon. The terroir here is typically a mix of volcanic and stony soils with superb drainage, stressing the vines and concentrating the fruit’s character. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness, with meticulous bunch and berry selection to ensure only pristine fruit enters the winery. Vinification at Hundred Acre is uncompromising: small-lot fermentations, careful temperature control, and extensive, gentle extraction to build depth without harshness. The wine is then aged in high-quality French oak (largely new) for an extended period, allowing the tannins to integrate and the wine to attain its signature silky, layered texture and luxurious profile.

Food & Serving
The 2018 Ark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural partner for richly flavored dishes: think dry-aged ribeye, grilled lamb chops with rosemary, venison, slow-braised short ribs, or a truffle-infused mushroom ragù. It also works beautifully with mature hard cheeses like aged Comté, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a well-aged Gouda. Serve at 16–18°C (about 60–64°F) to show its full aromatic complexity without emphasizing alcohol or heat. Given the wine’s structure and youth, decanting is strongly recommended: 2–3 hours for current drinking will help the aromatics unfurl and the tannins soften, while older bottles (after 10+ years of cellaring) will typically need a gentler, shorter decant of about an hour.

Producer
Hundred Acre is one of Napa Valley’s most coveted cult producers, renowned for its single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons that have earned consistently high scores and an international following among collectors. Founded on the principle that the greatest wines come from meticulously farmed, carefully defined plots—often no more than a hundred acres or less—the estate focuses on expressing the unique personality of each site through ultra-luxury, small-production bottlings. From vineyards like Ark, Kayli Morgan, and others, Hundred Acre has helped define the modern benchmark for opulent yet finely crafted Napa Cabernet. Its wines are released in limited quantities, frequently sell out on allocation, and have become fixtures in serious cellars worldwide, underlining the estate’s status as one of the region’s most prestigious and sought-after names.

We deliver within 2 - 6 business days. You can choose whether it should be to a parcel shop or home delivery. Free delivery to both parcel shops and your front door. Our store partners primarily use GLS, DPD, UPS and DHL for deliveries. We cover deliveries to the majority of countries in Europe.