Deep ruby color; blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, chocolate, pie crust, cedar, vanilla, oak spice on the nose and palate.
Dry; firm, amiable tannins; balancing acidity. Full body. 100% cabernet sauvignon effort with delicious fruit that is not over-ripe. Wine spent 20 months in French oak, 80% new, but the oak is appropriate and well behaved. Well made, classic Napa cab that judiciously avoids the excesses of oak, jammy fruit, and alcohol that afflicted some Napa cabs in the past. As Napa cab drinkers became more sophisticated, so did makers—in this case, renowned winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. 14.9% ABV
KHK Wines is the convergence of various exceptional talents. Jim Keller is the founder. He is a fourth-generation Napa Valley native with three generations involved in real estate. As a real estate broker, he specialized in luxury residential, vineyards, winery operations, restaurant, hotel, and commercial properties throughout the United States. Bill Hall Sr. has long, successful career in luxury hotel and resort operations, culminating with The Ritz-Carlton, opening and renovating properties across the county. His family also opened the iconic Halls Chophouse Charleston. He died in 2020. Tommy Hall is Bill Hall Sr.’s son. He, too, built a reputation in the restaurant and hospitality field, managing Del Frisco’s of Dallas and other properties around the county.
Thomas Keller is a legendary chef and restauranteur. He is best known for his French Laundry in Yountville, one of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants. His portfolio includes restaurants across the U.S. Thomas Rivers Brown is the winemaker at KHK. He has an international reputation. Under his leadership, Schrader Cellars earned 39 perfect 100-point scores from top wine critics; he was the first American winemaker to receive two 100-point scores from Wine Spectator.
The winery sources its fruit from several vineyards, but is silent about exact sources due to legal confidentiality agreements. KHK Wines describes itself as “a vineyard partnership and tribute to longtime friendships” spanning more than 40 years of camaraderie among the principals. The name represents the initials of the key partners: Jim Keller, the Hall family, and Thomas Keller. The winery only produces limited quantities of 100% cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley.
KHK Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2023 is a reserved, refined, intellectual take on Napa cab with welcomed, deft use of oak and avoidance of super-ripe fruit and its accompanying high alcohol. This works as a delicious sipper by itself and as an affable companion to food. Definitely a wine to snag online, store, or restaurant. $76-85
Pairing—Grilled, seared beef; ribeye, New York strip, hanger steak, filet mignon, beef tenderloin; rosemary-garlic rack of lamb or shoulder, lamb shanks; short ribs and red-wine braised beef or venison; venison, elk, bison with pan jus; roast duck with blackcurrant reduction; herb-crusted pork loin with fennel and black pepper. Cheese—Aged cheddar is classic, Vermont Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Keen’s Cheddar, Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar; aged gouda (18-plus months), comté, gruyère; manchego, ossau-iraty. Avoid fresh goat cheese (chèvre), brie, camembert, parmigiano-reggiano, pungent blue cheeses.
Photos: The KHK website does not have any useable photos of principals, winery, or vineyards.