I encountered Mount Veeder for the first time over forty years ago. So different I thought from the rest of Napa Valley. It was the home of my first job, working in the vineyards on the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains. Every year since, my wine career has been entwined with this special appellation--winemaker at Mount Veeder Winery whose focus was Cabernet Sauvignon, and of course more than 25 years of producing Zinfandel from those magnificent old vines of Brandlin Vineyard. Arguably it became our flagship and most sought-after wine.
In 2016 I returned to my earliest winemaking roots, with our first Cabernet Sauvignon from Brandlin Vineyard. To say it was an exciting and emotional experience would be an understatement. Equally exciting were the accolades the wine received as well as those for the subsequent vintages.
Over the last several decades I have observed the cycles of winemaking styles. As I enter my “twilight years,” the goal remains even more so, to produce wines that are fresh, balanced, complex, and palatable. As I’ve mentioned many times, “delicious” is the word we like to hear. Mountain fruit can easily result in ponderous and over the top wines, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
Winter 2021 began with abundant rainfall followed by a very dry January and February. Still, soils started the growing season with adequate moisture—the vines were happy! Summer saw few extremes with moderate temperatures throughout the growing season. Harvest began early and uneventfully until the “big heat” arrived in early September, catapulting things along. Despite the challenge, the maturity of our Cabernet vines—20 years +-- and its Mount Veeder location once again gave us beautiful fruit.
Because our block of Cabernet rests on the hilltop ridge, grapes ripen evenly, sometimes a challenge in the mountains. Curiously enough, it sits adjacent to those 90-year-old Zinfandel vines, surely capturing some of the magic and energy of those vines.
Regal dark ruby in color, our 2022 offers deep layers of graphite, black currant, rose petal, thyme, a touch of vanilla and sweet oak. The palate is lively, refreshing and highly structured, poised for longevity. Because of its lower alcohol, the wine is never weighty, and concludes with a nice grip, smooth tannins, and long finish.
This is California Cabernet Sauvignon in a classic Bordeaux style—truly delicious!