Outpost Wines was established in 1998 and sits on a pristine piece of land atop Howell Mountain 2200 feet above Napa Valley. Thomas Rivers-Brown has been the winemaker from the start and has gained further acclaim making highly sought after wines for Schrader, Rivers-Marie and many others. Outpost produces Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Right Bank inspired blend called Immigrant. In 2018 AXA Millésimes, the wine division of a French insurance giant, bought Outpost from the Dotzler family.
Purple in color. 16.1% ABV. Heady nose of ripe red and black fruits, licorice and Howell Mountain white pepper. Medium to full bodied with ample acidity. Mostly well balanced with just a touch of perceptible heat. Black cherry liqueur, raspberry compote and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. There is a great core of sweet fruit, that in the end make this Zinfandel a pleasure to drink. Best over the next 1-3 years.
My rating: 92 points.
The 2018 version was recently released to the mailing list at $55 per bottle.
Outpost wines are only available via the mailing list and sell out quickly. Don’t miss the Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from True Vineyard. Highly recommended.