Bevan - Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Ridge 2018

99 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

"Another awesome blend by Russell, the 2018 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard is 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, and it’s one of the more overtly sexy, opulent wines in the lineup. Offering a crazy perfume of lifted red and blue fruits, spring flowers, and incense, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a supple, seamless, mouth-filling texture, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Tasting like a great Saint-Emilion on steroids, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 10-15 years."

Russell Bevan has a led a varied life. Born in Ukiah, CA he earned his Master's in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in Washington. His wine career began with working for a Gallo distributor, selling to grocery stores. Then, in the mid-’90s, he wrote a wine column for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. This gave him access to many of the great winemakers in California who later became mentors when he moved to Northern California. 

In 2004, their friend Kal Showket (owner of Showket Vineyard, since sold to Peter Michael and now known as Au Paradis Vineyard) offered to sell him a ton of Cabernet Sauvignon. He leaped at the chance, and Bevan Cellars was born. By 2012, he was able to migrate a portion of the production to Napa. “That’s when things began to take off for Bevan Cellars,” said Russell. “We had a beautiful facility to host new customers and grow the brand.” By 2017, their Napa production had grown significantly, and they were invited by the Tench family to move into their newly built winemaking facility next to the Tench Vineyard. “With our strong ties to the vineyard source and the Oakville AVA, it was an obvious choice for us,” said Russell. 

“We approach winemaking from a texture standpoint,” said Russell. “We know that special vineyards will give us flavor and aromatics, but managing textural balance is where the real magic lies." 

-- Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent

Another awesome blend by Russell, the 2018 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard is 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, and it’s one of the more overtly sexy, opulent wines in the lineup. Offering a crazy perfume of lifted red and blue fruits, spring flowers, and incense, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a supple, seamless, mouth-filling texture, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Tasting like a great Saint-Emilion on steroids, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 10-15 years.