Ovid

Hexameter

Napa Valley

2017

Vintage

Varietal

Cabernet Franc Blend

Peak 2023-2040

Where it is, November 2026

At Peak: inside the peak window (2023-2040), within the full drinking arc.

In 2026, the 2017 Hexameter is three years into its stated 2023 to 2040 peak window. This is the vintage that finished under the shadow of Napa's October wildfires, and the wine that came from it shows no sign of that stress: the violet and dried rose petal aromatics have gained depth, the polished tannins have settled further, and the iron-laced minerality on the palate is fully resolved. It drinks with real confidence now, mid-peak rather than early.

The ‘17 Hexameter.

Ovid's Cabernet Franc-led blend from the dramatic 2017 Napa harvest, now three years into a stated peak that runs to 2040.

Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) drinking timeline

Full drinking arcYou are here · at peak, 2026

Storage and bottle condition can shift the experience.

Full drinking arc 2021-2047Peak window 2023-2040

The peak window sits inside the broader full drinking arc.

Tasting note

Napa Valley Cabernet Franc blend should offer violet and dried rose aromas, with dark berry and a subtle iron-like mineral tone. Ovid's 2017 Hexameter is expected to feel polished and settled, its tannins smooth and resolved while fresh acidity carries the layered fruit across a long palate. Peak maturity is listed from 2023 through 2040 within a horizon to 2047; expect a poised finish that moves from floral lift toward savory earth.

The 2017 vintage

2017 is remembered in Napa for the wildfires that tore through wine country in October, by which point Napa Valley Vintners estimated roughly 90 percent of that year's grape tonnage was already off the vine, the same figure reported for neighboring Sonoma. The growing season itself had been healthy up to that point: drought broke over the winter, vines came into the year with strong vegetation, and a good season turned unusually hot in early September with no real cooling-off stretch before harvest. Wine Spectator's vintage chart rates the 2017 Napa Cabernet vintage 92 points, in its Outstanding band, despite calling it one of the region's most difficult recent seasons. Ovid's Pritchard Hill fruit sits well above the valley floor where the fires burned, a site factor worth knowing about this vintage even without a specific harvest date on file for this bottling.

About Ovid

Hexameter is Ovid's Cabernet Franc-led wine, a sibling bottling to the estate's Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Ovid Napa Valley from the same organically farmed, single-acre-block vineyard on Pritchard Hill. Winemaker Austin Peterson, who has led winemaking at the estate since 2006, treats the two wines as distinct expressions of the same volcanic, iron-rich ground rather than a single house blend split two ways, part of why Hexameter reads more perfumed and structured than its stablemate.

Pairing suggestions

Cellared suggestions based on the wine and dish descriptions.

Roasted duck leg confit with juniper

The violet and dried rose petal aromatics pair naturally with juniper's floral bitterness, and the silky, polished tannin won't fight the confit's rendered fat the way a harder-edged Cabernet Sauvignon might.

Mushroom and black truffle risotto

Graphite and cedar notes on the nose meet truffle's earthiness directly, and the iron-laced minerality on the palate gives the dish's umami something structural to push against.

Herb-crusted rack of lamb

Black plum and dark currant fruit balance lamb's richness, while the precise, spiced finish stands up to a rosemary and garlic crust without being overwhelmed by it.

Add this bottle Track this bottle Read this guide

Frequently Asked

Is this bottle ready to drink now?

The canonical CAI full drinking arc is 2021-2047. Within that arc, the peak window is 2023-2040. The full arc is the broader period the wine may drink well; the peak window is when it is most likely to show its best balance. Storage, fill level, cork condition, and preference can shift the decision. Taste before adding more air or holding the rest.

Should I decant a 2017 Hexameter now?

About 45 minutes is enough. Three years into its stated peak, the tannins are already polished rather than tight, so this bottle needs less air than a younger release, just enough to let the violet and dried rose petal aromatics fully open.

Is there a pairing for this wine beyond the ones already listed?

A firm, washed-rind cheese like Taleggio works well too. The graphite and cedar notes on the nose stand up to a pungent, funky cheese better than a mild one would, and the wine's structured tannin keeps the pairing from feeling one-sided.

Is 2017 a vintage worth seeking out despite the fire headlines?

For a wine like this one, yes. Wine Spectator's vintage chart still rates the year 92 points, in its Outstanding band, and the difficult reputation the vintage carries has more to do with producers who picked late or lower on the valley floor than with a high-elevation site like Ovid's.

Was the 2017 Hexameter affected by the Napa wildfire smoke?

It's a fair question for any 2017 Napa wine. Napa Valley Vintners estimated at the time that roughly 90 percent of that year's grape tonnage was already off the vine before the October wildfires broke out, and Ovid's Pritchard Hill fruit sits well above the valley floor where much of the fire and smoke activity was concentrated. Cellared doesn't have a specific harvest date on file for this bottling to confirm exactly where picking stood when the fires started, so this is useful context rather than a guarantee either way.