The History of Hourglass
Hourglass's inaugural Cabernet release came with the 1997 vintage, a seminal Napa vintage by many critics' standards.
The new brand was catapulted to instant renown at a tasting held just before the 2001 Napa Valley Wine Auction, organized by David Stevens, then wine director of Tra Vigne restaurant, and now the proprietor of 750 Wines. The "cult tasting" featured a flight of 1997 vintage Cabernets that critic Robert Parker, Jr. had scored 100 points: Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, and Bryant Family. Driven by David's mischievous sense of humor, he threw Hourglass into the lineup as a precocious ringer. To the astonished tasters who had never heard of Hourglass (as none had yet been released), it held its own alongside the cult giants. The buzz was immediate and news of the tasting hit the Internet. Within days, a wine that was not even for sale was sold out. Since then, the Hourglass Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has built a steadfast following.
Hourglass was originally Made by Bob Foley (Pride Mountain, Switchback Ridge, Paloma) and he handed the reigns to Tony Biagi (Plumpjack, Cade). Thoughts from Antonio Galloni on Biagi:
"Biagi has proven he has the magic touch when it comes to making modern, sumptuous Napa Valley Cabernets of the highest level. Not only has Biagi made a meaningful difference at every estate where he has been in charge (PlumpJack, Hourglass), he has also shown a talent for grooming winemakers who have eventually taken over day-to-day winemaking at his projects (PlumpJack, Sinegal) and for helping turning around estates entirely, most notable at Clos du Val, but also Amici, all while making tremendous wines at Patria, his own label."
