Ad Vivum 2016 Sleeping Lady Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Ad Vivum founder/owner/winemaker Chris Phelps spent decades as one of Napa's most important winemakers without ever chasing the spotlight. He made the legendary 1991 Dominus, crafted eight vintages of Caymus, and worked at Inglenook, the kind of resume that puts him in the same conversation as Napa's all-time greats. Ad Vivum is his own project, and it comes from just two small micro-blocks at Sleeping Lady Vineyard in Yountville, sitting along the Mayacamas foothills right next to the Dominus estate vineyard.

The vineyard itself is farmed by Larry Bettinelli, a fifth-generation grower who has spent his career obsessing over how to grow Cabernet Sauvignon at the highest level. Phelps and Bettinelli have been collaborating since 1990, running experimental plantings on clones, trellising, and rootstock long before Sleeping Lady became the sought-after source it is today, one now locked up by winemakers like Philippe Melka and Julien Fayard. Because of that long history, Phelps still gets first pick of his favorite blocks. The 2016 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from a tiny production of around 437 cases, and it's widely considered one of the vineyard's best vintages, made as the site bounced back from several years of drought.

Critical Acclaim

96pts Wine Enthusiast, 96pts Wine Independent, 94-96pts Parker's Wine Advocate, 95pts Jeb Dunnuck

Ad Vivum 2016 has garnered significant accolades, standing shoulder to shoulder with Napa Valley icons like Harlan and Screaming Eagle. With a 96-point score from Wine Enthusiast and praise from critics who highlight its Dominus-adjacent vineyard pedigree and the winemaker’s legacy at Caymus and Dominus, it is celebrated as one of the standout Cabernets of its vintage. Its reputation is further solidified by its popularity among collectors and connoisseurs, who recognize its balance of power, finesse, and authenticity.

With only 437 cases were made this wine is becoming increasingly rare, and a decade in, this wine has hit its sweet spot: the once-firm structure has softened and fully melted into the fruit, with just the first whispers of bottle age starting to show.

750ml