50th Anniversary Thanksgiving Offer

Buongiorno ~

Our weeks of harvest concluded on 18 September, a day which dawned brightly to coincide with exuberant celebrations with internationally honored chefs and smashing competition results for our leading wines. Such great good fortune directly inspires the special Thanksgiving offer I write to extend to you now.

First, in honor of the brightest spark for this offer, I can report that we emerged very successfully, from a growing season of widely reported challenging weather, bringing grave losses to several wineries – from the very costly freezes we reported at the time, to less sunshine than any of us had wished, through the final weeks of our ripening calendar. We were less touched than most, by the worst of these conditions, and extracted grapes clearly in our Reserve class in all of our Reds, except for Cabernet Sauvignon – always our rarest success.

As previously reported, our Whites all arrived in the winery in outstanding shape. Although our total yield of such excellence was much lower than in our famous vintages, we have just concluded a 5-year run of vintages from 2021 through 2025, of generous volume to match brilliant quality, so that we approach 2027 holding an abundant cellar of fine wines to sustain availability going forward. Securing an Octagon vintage once again, therefore, in 2026 will be rated with our happiest achievements in the 50 years of winegrowing we celebrate this year.

Yet, as you know, in the last 25 years we have achieved Octagon staturealsoin our Whites, with the gorgeous adaptation of our hot-climate varietals from the Rhône valley and Italy’s Mediterranean coast. This constant grape growing success rivals fully now the consistency of our Bordeaux Red varietals and of Nebbiolo, and these Whites have given rise to the creation of a much-celebrated and unique blended wine, to rank alongside Octagon wherever our wines are presented. Just this month, for example, Nascent 2021 and Vermentino 2025 both won the San Francisco competition Gold Medal, alongside Nebbiolo 2023. It ’ s delightful to realize, you might not be surprised.

Previously, as harvest began, I reported that we’d be celebrating in Richmond, for the publication of the memoirs of our great friend, Chef Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington . I had not known at the time there would be another party for Chef Patrick’s book at New York’s legendary Restaurant Daniel , hosted by his longtime Relais & Châteaux fellow and friend, Chef Daniel Boulud. (Above, L-R, Joshua Grainer of Lost Mountain , Chef Patrick, Chef Daniel, and I). I could not resist the invitation to bring Octagon and Nascent to the party, to join 3 other outstanding Virginia wineries for this occasion — Lost Mountain, Linden, and King Family — where Chef Thomas Keller of Napa’s **French Laundry**and New York’s Per Se also participated in greeting keen culinary enthusiasts and friends of one of Manhattan’s most cherished restaurants, with leading writers on food and wine.

That climactic culinary occasion of the season was literally the springboard of this this 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving offer. Octagon is the through line in our relationship with Chef Daniel, Chef Patrick is its earliest benefactor, and its constant refrain is You never know where a bottle of Octagon might take you. Back in 2007, recalled above – the year of our Governor’s Cup for the 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – Chef Patrick invited us to pour Octagon and Paxxito, a traditionally crafted dessert wine (destined for its own Governor’s Cup), at the annual international congress he was hosting in Washington, DC of Relais and Châteaux inns and restaurants. What a night.

That spectacular occasion was Chef Daniel’s introduction to Octagon. We remember as if it were yesterday, when he circled twice to our table, to discuss and taste it again. Nor have 19 years dulled our memory of the bold array of house-crafted Pâté which he presented that evening, a perfect showcase for both our wines. Today, we share our warmest gratitude to be served at his flagship restaurant. Truly, this Thanksgiving offer is not merely a celebration of our best wines, but of how they come to you, through the development of indispensably constant varietal strength, inspired by shared goals and commitment.

We offer unprecedented discount pricing on “bottle 1” in the current vintage of both Octagon and Nascent, together with the current vintages of the varietals which compose them — Octagon’s Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot Reserves, and Nascent’s Viognier and Vermentino Reserves. Our offer is open today, and extends through November 23rd.

A truly anatomizing, investigative opportunity awaits, much like assessing a flight of wines at our Library 1821 or enjoying lunch at Palladio , each varietal illuminating the common, climactic, blend. With each blending varietal being individually discounted, the whole purchase can further be deeply discounted by our standard 10 percent off any 12 bottles, or 5 percent off 6. I very warmly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, to enhance your enjoyment of these regional benchmarks, by savoring their vividly beautiful varietal sources. But this offer also supports a most advantageous cellar replenishment, as in this simple example — Two Octagon Quartets + One Nascent Trio + One Nebbiolo San Francisco Gold Medalist, create a shrewdly chosen case to discount 10 percent. Savings have never been more prudent, age-worthy, or delectable.

Through 11/23

Octagon 2021 70.00 vs 75.00

Merlot Reserve 2021 32.00 vs 35.00

Petit Verdot Reserve 2020 32.00 vs 35.00

Cabernet Franc Reserve 2024 23.00 vs 25.00

Octagon Quartet, without

12-bottle Case discount 157.00 vs 170.00

Octagon Quartet, with

12-bottle Case discount 141.30 vs 170.00

Nascent 2021 46.00 vs 50.00

Viognier Reserve 2025 21.00 vs 23.00

Vermentino Reserve 2025 22.00 vs 24.00

Nascent Trio, without

12-bottle Case discount 89.00 vs 97.00

Nascent Trio, with

12-bottle Case discount 80.01 vs 97.00

As always, there is Free Shipping to permitted states east of the Mississippi, and Half-Price Shipping further west, while any 6-11 bottles obtain 5 percent discount, and any 12 bottles or more, 10 percent discount — of any already discounted purchase price.

Let us all look forward to the gorgeous closing weeks of Autumn, and a fine wine to pair with Thanksgiving.

Cordialmente ~

Luca Paschina Winemaker