United States · California

Hourglass

Hourglass is a small Napa Valley estate based in the eastern hills above St. Helena, founded in 1976 but rebuilt under Jeff Smith's ownership from 1998. The winery produces Bordeaux varieties from the Blueline Estate—a 40-acre property on volcanic soils at 1,200-foot elevation—as well as a separate Hourglass Estate label from valley-floor sites. Production is deliberately small, typically under 5,000 cases total. The Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant auction wine (78 lots, $86 average, best in 2012), characterized by mountain-grown structure and darker fruit than valley-floor peers. The core Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon averages $92 across 57 lots, with the 2005 vintage most active in the market. Supporting single-varietal bottlings—Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and HG III—fill out the range at slightly lower price points. The wines attracted early critical attention from Robert Parker and Wine Spectator, with multiple vintages scoring 95+ points, which helped establish primary allocation demand that flows into secondary activity. The winery's limited production and quality consistency at $84–$92 average keep it in mid-tier Napa collectible territory—above everyday Napa Cabernet but well below cult-wine pricing.