Rated 96 points by esteemed critic, Robert Parker, 2007 is the third vintage of Promise, with many fruitful vintages to come. The idea and name for Promise came from the promise of a lifetime that vintner Steve McPherson made in 2004. Atop the steep hillside Winston Hill Vineyard, overlooking miles of lush Napa Valley vineyards, he promised to spend the rest of his living days with his wife Jennifer, in a proposal of marriage. He also promised that their life together would be that of passion and balance—that it would not be all work and no play, and that he would always make time to pursue his greatest passion: wine. Later that year, he harvested his very first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon off of the Winston Hill Vineyard, owned by his friend and mentor, Rich Frank of Frank Family Vineyards.
The 2007 Promise consists of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot from the “heart block” of Winston Hill Vineyard, which sits on his Rich Frank’s personal estate in Rutherford. Winston Hill has a prime location on the east side of the Napa Valley, along the Vaca Mountain Range. Winston Hill is perfectly suited for viticulture: it rises up to 600 feet in elevation with slopes between 30-75 percent, angled perfectly to the sun. Steve is active in the winemaking process, which is overseen by winemaker Todd Graff. The wine spent three years in 100% new French oak before it is bottle-aged for another year. Production of Promise is approximately 200 cases per year, available at select restaurants in New York, California and London, and available for purchase based on availability and allocation membership ($225).
"A staggeringly rich, profound Cabernet Sauvignon has emerged from this producer, simply called Promise. About the only information on the back label is that someone named Steve McPherson has a lot to do with the final product, and congratulations certainly go to him. An absolutely spectacular 2007, this wine has an inky purple color to the rim. Gorgeously pure crème de cassis and black cherry fruit interwoven with hints of lead pencil shavings, burning embers, and spice is followed by a full-bodied, opulent, but at the same time, structured wine. It seems capable of lasting 20-30 or more years. This looks to me like a classic from Napa Valley, and although it is certainly approachable already (as most Napa Cabernets from top years tend to be), there is a long, long life ahead of it. This wine is just – pardon the pun – oh, so promising. 96 Points" -Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, Dec. 2010.