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2016 Terlato Family Vineyards Episode
A selection-driven Napa flagship from the Terlato family, built from family-connected sites across Stags Leap District and Rutherford and shaped by a poised 2016 vintage. This is the bottle that lets buyers say “top-end Napa” with pedigree, polish, and a reference price already in luxury territory.
Wine Advocate
A real flagship at sub-flagship money.
Why buyers care now
Episode brings a true flagship story without the usual flagship entry price. Terlato positions it as the summit wine of the Napa program, with roughly 1.5 acres selected from more than 400 Napa acres.
The public price architecture is already in place. Rutherford Hill currently lists the 2016 at $195, while the trade offer here is $80, giving buyers room to sell with confidence while keeping the luxury frame intact.
Quick commercial read
Pinnacle, not padding.
Terlato positions Episode above volume tiers as the family’s statement Napa red.
2016 gives it polish.
The vintage is prized for balance, freshness, and age-worthy shape rather than brute-force ripeness.
An easy luxury price story.
Current reference pricing is already premium, which gives buyers clean cover when listing, gifting, or trading up.
Family Napa depth, sharpened into one bottle.
Terlato’s estate story
The Terlato family brings scale and memory to the sell-in. The family has more than 70 years in the American wine business and moved decisively into Napa production with the 1996 purchase of Rutherford Hill. Chimney Rock followed as part of the family’s Napa estate footprint, giving Episode a lineage tied to real holdings rather than a marketing-only label.
Episode is the summit wine. It takes that broader Napa story and distills it into a Bordeaux-style flagship designed for buyers who want a polished, cellar-capable Napa blend with recognized family backing.
Buyer language
Use this when hand-selling: “This is Terlato’s flagship Napa blend—selection-driven, not volume-driven—pulling together the family’s top-end Napa story in one polished 2016 bottle.”
Trade-ready facts, kept tight.
Built for rich dishes, not background pouring.
In the glass
Black cherry, cassis, warm plum, cedar, spice, and savory length. The wine reads full-bodied and richly fruited, but its best feature is the structure underneath: enough grip and freshness to keep the oak and fruit in line.
Why it works at table: the blend carries Napa richness, but the 2016 shape keeps the finish lifted enough for classic meat pairings and sauce work.
Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs
Rosemary + Garlic Lamb Chops
Red Wine–Braised Beef Short Ribs
Why it works: slow-cooked beef and reduced braising juices mirror the wine’s dark fruit depth, oak sweetness, and savory finish.
Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic
Why it works: rosemary, garlic, and char pick up the wine’s cedar-edged structure while lamb keeps pace with its weight and tannin.
Also works well with … ribeye, mushroom jus, dry-aged burgers, and hard aged cheeses.
Everything a buyer or floor team needs, without the clutter.
Open each file directly below for faster handoff, print access, and floor-team use.
Fast-use notes
Menu descriptor: Flagship Napa Bordeaux-style red blend with cassis, plum, cedar, spice, and savory length.
Talking points: selection-driven flagship from the Terlato Napa program; polished 2016 structure; 21 months in 100% new French oak; easy fit for steakhouse lists and collector-facing retail.
Service note: decant 60–90 minutes; pour just below room temperature.
Where this bottle makes the most sense.
Independent Retail
Easy hand-sell: recognized family, real flagship story, and a reference price that supports premium positioning.
Restaurant
Natural fit for steak, lamb, and contemporary American lists that want a polished Napa flagship without trophy-bottle stiffness.
Large Retail
Works best in premium Napa sets where staff or shelf copy can explain why the flagship story matters.
Chain
Less effective in velocity-first sets unless the assortment is already built around premium, story-led Napa.
