Dear Insider,

As a young server at Napa’s iconic Tra Vigne restaurant, I was introduced to incredible wines in a dining room that had seen the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Danny DeVito, Julia Child, and more. But few (if any) of my experiences there stand out like the night I discovered Black Kite, one of my absolute favorite Pinot Noir estates, at the table of Robert Redford.

The restaurant’s wine list contained cult Napa Cabernets and French icons galore, but he barely gave them a passing glance. He’d arrived seeking one bottle, Black Kite, and when he poured me a taste he said, "This is a wine you have to know, I simply love it." I was even more starstruck by the layered complexity in my glass than by the man at the table.

I’ve been enamored with Black Kite’s Pinot Noirs ever since, and this 2019 Kite’s Rest bears the same energy and polish that captivated us both that evening.

Wines like this 2019 are why Wine Enthusiast has listed Black Kite among “America’s Best Pinot Noirs.” From winemaker Jeff Gaffner—who helped Château St. Jean take home a Wine Spectator Wine of the Year award—it’s a stunning expression of a site that Robert Whitley of Wine Review Online called “one of the most spectacular Pinot Noir vineyards in the New World.”

For years, Wine Access members have been all in on Black Kite too, calling the wines “an outstanding value” and “competitive with wines costing 2 to 3 times” as much. Because of our relationship with Black Kite, we’ve got the only available bottles in the US, but be warned: Our allocations of this Pinot tend to last mere hours. We’ve got this stunning bottle for just $42, 24% off the winery price.

Claim your bottles now!

Black Kite’s estate vineyard, Kite’s Rest, is located in the so-called “Deep End” of Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley. It sits just ten miles from the Pacific Ocean, starting at the Navarro River and rising 400 feet to the edge of a redwood forest. With a northern exposure, the Pinot Noir grown at this site enjoys an even longer hang time than the rest of Anderson Valley, promoting slow, even ripening—what every winemaker in the world wants.

The 2019 reminds me of the Black Kite I had at Tra Vigne all those years ago—the one that got Robert Redford so excited he just had to share it. Today, I’m passing on that enthusiastic recommendation to you. In the words of Mr. Redford, “This is a wine you have to know.” I simply love it. I have a feeling you will too.

Sincerely,

Eduardo Dingler
VP of Wine
Wine Access