Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
75cl * 14.0% ABV * Napa Valley, California, USA
You're stood in a vineyard, a terraced vineyard, you could be in Italy if it wasn't for the redwood pine trees around you and the distinctive smell they produce. In the distance a towering curtain of mountains, not unlike the Alps as seen from Geneva, but these are just one of the many ridge lines of the Northern Coastal Ranges and your stood on one. Right at one of the highest point of viticulture in the Napa valley, on the very shoulders of Howell Mountain.
The vineyards sit above the famous fog that roles in from the San Pablo bay but with its elevation its is cooler, and it is exposed to greater solar radiation. This combined with the volcanic soils help to produce some of the most powerful Cabernet Sauvignon in the world.
This wine is impressive, bright acidity, structured yet silky tannins and a wonderful expression of the very best that Cabernet Sauvignon can offer. Some green expression but not excessively, more savoury than green and some wonderful fruit, unctuous but also bordering on that savoury dried/cooked style. A really delicious and distinctive Cab Sauv!
94 Points, James Suckling, 2023, 'So much pine needle, flowers, currants and ripe plums on the nose. Medium-bodied with fine and polished tannins. Linear and very tight with a clarity and energy. Vivid is the word. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.'
93 Points, Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, 2023, 'This classic style of Cabernet shows great balance, a snug structure and complex flavors that range from black cherry to black olive to sage and cedar. Moderate tannins and good acidity add to a slightly grippy and appetizing texture. Best 2025–2030.'