Man, talk about setting the bar!

I did not know what to expect Monday when I joined Debra Eagle, general manager of Hestan Vineyards, for lunch at Vic’s on the River.

We were joined by the owner, Dr. Irving Victor, and restaurant General Manager Sean Dylan for what became a real treat.

Hestan may not be a household label, but these premium wines earn the focus of winery owners Stanley & Helen Cheng. Stanley pioneered cookware lines Circulon and Anolon, and his company, Meyer Corp., manufactures KitchenAid appliances and cutlery and cookware branded for celebrity foodies like Paula Deen and Rachel Ray.

There wasn’t a dog in the bunch and, naturally, the vineyard’s emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon was apparent. Between Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, every wine in the stable earns more than 90 points; some achieve lofty scores over 95.

Of note, it was interesting to taste equally priced Cabs side-by-side.

The 2005 “Meyer” Napa Valley Cab is crafted by winemaker Mark Herold and delivers the lushness, richness and opulence I’ve come to expect from Napa Cabs.

It’s non-apologetic style is approachable while remaining superior in character and varietal correctness.  An oak regimen of 50/50 new and used oak provides an 18 month slumber before bottling. Sniff out splashes of Petit Verdot and Merlot.

On the other hand, the decidedly Bordeaux style of winemaker Jeff Gaffner is expressed without compromise in the 2006 “Stephanie” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine gets 75 percent new oak and languishes for 28 long months in barrel. Classically, it contains all five Bordeaux varietals: Cab Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot and Cab Franc.

The finished product is one you will savor from first sniff. Complexity, balance and, yes, even nuance are hallmarks of this intriguing Cabernet Sauvignon. Let this one develop in the glass and bask in its richness.

These are both outstanding values for exquisite Cabernet the consistently earns high scores from competing critics. The heavy, deeply punted bottles are silk-screen printed in 24K gold.

Distribution is by Hemispheres; anticipate retail price of $55-$60.