United States · California

Viader

Viader is a Napa Valley estate founded in 1986 by Delia Viader on steep rocky hillside above Deer Park on Howell Mountain, planted to an unconventional Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc blend rather than the Bordeaux norm of Merlot as secondary variety. The estate's signature wine V is a roughly 60/40 Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc blend produced from volcanic Aiken loam soils at 1,200–1,400 feet elevation. With 747 auction lots averaging $82 per bottle and a ceiling near $200, Viader occupies the mid-tier of Napa collectibles — more accessible than Harlan or Colgin but positioned well above commodity Napa. The Proprietary Red and straight Cabernet Sauvignon cover different price points, while the Syrah adds variety to a small portfolio. Auction value is driven by consistent 90–93-point critical reception through the mid-2000s, the cult status of hillside Cab Franc blends, and scarcity: annual production rarely exceeds 3,000 cases for V. The 2002 and 2001 remain standout vintages, with the 2002 earning 94 points from Parker and exhibiting the dark-fruited intensity and taut structure characteristic of the site. A 2001 fire that destroyed part of the estate's library and some barrel stock adds historical scarcity to older lots, occasionally creating sharp bidding for pre-2002 bottles in pristine condition at specialist Napa auctions.