Sunday, December 21, 2014

Livingston Moffett Napa Cab with Beef Wellington

Livingston Moffett Napa Cab with Beef Wellington

For a family Christmas dinner Linda prepared a beef tenderloin Wellington, just like a week ago at our festive holiday wine dinner. For this occasion I opened a vintage 1997 Napa Cabernet from magnum.

Livingston Moffet Stanley's Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997


We have several bottles from several vintages of Moffett Howell Mountain Cabernet which we love. While this is the same producer, today's Moffett wines are sourced from a different Howell Mountain property. John and Diane Livingston sold the property they worked for two decades and purchased another property which is now run by their son Trent Moffett. Moffett Vineyard consists of 20 Acres of prime Howell Mountain land and sits at 1,500 feet elevation, high above the Napa Valley floor.

The “Stanley” in Stanley's Selection is a family name in the Livingston clan. John Livingston is a geologist and is adept at finding vineyards suitable for Stanley's Selection. Working the Howell Mountain slopes overlooking Napa Valley, he seeks the optimum combination of stony hillside soils, eastern exposures and unique microclimates - all the elements of what the French call terroir. The vineyards selected are only a few acres in size, too small for big wineries but ideal for this boutique selection. 

We have two bottles of this left - one 750 and one in magnum. Based on how this has aged since last tasting, its probably time to drink the 750 soon as it may have aged less gracefully than this magnum.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black cherry and currant fruits, medium to firm tannins and acid balanced with cherry, a bit leather, spice and plum with tone of cedar on the finish.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=162762


http://moffettvineyards.com/




Once again, Linda prepared her fabulous beef tenderloin wellington.

See the transformation below.