VINEYARD

Our Mount Veeder property was first purchased and planted to Champagne varietals in the early 1970s. Over the last 20 years, the majority of the property has been replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard is situated in the Mayacamas Mountains on the Western edge of the Napa Valley on steep southern aspects at altitudes between 750 and 1250 feet. Cooled both by the altitude and proximity to the San Pablo Bay, the area boasts the longest growing season of all the Napa Valley AVAs. The vineyard’s well-drained, sedimentary soils produce vibrant and mineral-driven Cabernet Sauvignon, characterized by intense black currant notes and firm, sandy graphite structures.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

2016 is a great vintage, driven by elegance and concentration. The growing season started early, as moderate conditions in July and August prompted the fruits’ steady development. By the end of August—thanks to several warm days—the grapes achieved the perfect aromatic and phenolic ripeness. Devoid of excess sugar, the fruit produced wine that was concentrated and deep, while also bright and fresh.

VINIFICATION

Our 2016 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon featured fruit from blocks 203, 205, 209, 212, 231, and 240 with an average vine age of 18 years. Once harvested, the bunches are handsorted, destemmed and optically sorted—a process that allows us to inspect each individual berry. We took extra care in utilizing only small cuves throughout the fermentation process, which aided in enhancing the skin contact and gently extracting the polyphenols. The must was fermented in separate lots, and—after undergoing malolactic fermentation in barrel—was aged for 12 months. It was then blended and returned to barrel for another 6 months of aging.