High Dive 2017 Napa Valley Red Blend 750ml

High Dive began in 2014 as a genuinely collaborative venture — Share A Splash Wine Co. founder Yoav Gilat brought together two distinct winemaking sensibilities: Peter Heitz, a fourth-generation Napa Valley winemaker at Turnbull Wine Cellars specializing in structured, Oakville-style Cabernet, and Scott Palazzo, bringing real "Right Bank" Bordeaux expertise from his own Palazzo Wines. The three set out with a shared vision: build a Cabernet blend that would take drinkers back to the roots of what first made Napa Valley beloved, explicitly as an homage to the classic Napa blends of the 1970s.

The wine's identity is genuinely built on its dual vineyard sourcing — Oakville AVA fruit brings ripe richness and depth, while Carneros AVA fruit contributes fresh acidity, elegance, and finesse, together forming what the winery calls "a true assemblage of the sub-AVAs." The 2017 vintage runs predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot playing supporting roles, bottled at 14.5% ABV. High Dive genuinely debuted on the world stage in early 2017 at the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, India, tasted by top collectors, Master Sommeliers, and Masters of Wine, including Jancis Robinson. Liam Steevenson, MW, said of his first taste: "from the moment I tasted High Dive for the first time, I knew that a special bottle of wine had been made."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded 92 Points, noting notes of "cassis" and "dark chocolate," with "a medium-bodied, elegant palate." Wine Enthusiast's Jim Gordon offered his own blind tasting of the exact same vintage, finding it "full-bodied" and "dry," with red fruit folded "in fairly firm acidity and tannins, for an appetizing, texture-driven expression that really needs food," specifically citing "black cherries, raspberries and cranberries" filling out the palate. Meredith May of The Tasting Panel called the wine simply "pedigreed and elegant." This is genuinely well-reviewed, thoughtfully constructed Napa Valley Cabernet blend — real craftsmanship behind a wine built specifically to echo an earlier, more restrained era of Napa winemaking.

Origins & Craftsmanship

High Dive Napa Valley began in 2014 as a collaboration between Share A Splash Wine Co. founder Yoav Gilat and winemakers Peter Heitz, a fourth-generation Napa Valley winemaker at Turnbull Wine Cellars, and Scott Palazzo of Palazzo Wines. The wine is a "Left Bank" Bordeaux-style blend, built as an homage to the classic Napa Valley wines of the 1970s, and represented Share A Splash's first entry into the Napa Valley luxury wine market.

The 2017 vintage is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot playing supporting roles, sourced from both the Oakville AVA (ripe fruit and richness) and the Carneros AVA (fresh acidity, elegance, and finesse), forming a deliberate assemblage of both sub-appellations. Bottled at 14.5% ABV, 750ml.

Critics Reviews

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate — 92 Points:
Noting notes of cassis, dark chocolate, and a medium-bodied, elegant palate.

Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast:
"This full-bodied, dry wine folds red fruits in fairly firm acidity and tannins, for an appetizing, texture-driven expression that really needs food. Black cherries, raspberries and cranberries fill out the palate."

Meredith May, The Tasting Panel:
"Pedigreed and elegant."

Liam Steevenson, MW (on High Dive's launch):
"From the moment I tasted High Dive for the first time, I knew that a special bottle of wine had been made."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Cassis and dark chocolate lead, joined by black cherry and dark berry character.

Palate
Medium-bodied and elegant, with black cherry, raspberry, and cranberry filling out the palate, framed by fairly firm acidity and tannin.

Finish
Appetizing and texture-driven, closing with genuine structure — a food-friendly finish that rewards pairing with a substantial meal.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Grilled or roasted red meat
• Aged hard cheeses
• Rich, savory braises
• Dark chocolate desserts