Yates Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 with Prime Rib

Yates Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 with Prime Rib

For a quick mid-week lunch/dinner, Linda brought home from Marianno’s kitchen Prime Rib with Mashed  Potatoes and Green Beans. 

I pulled from the cellar a hearty vintage aged Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet for a perfect food wine pairing - Yates Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2006.

We tasted and acquired this wine during a visit to the Yates family estate vineyards and winery, high atop Mount Veeder during our appellation visit back in 2011, which I excerpt here. 

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Mt Veeder Appellation Trail - Yates Mt Veeder Family Vineyards

Finally after more than a dozen years of wine trips visiting various wine regions, we learned the discipline and organization of focus! When we now visit Napa Valley, we focus on one appellation at a time. Recent Napa Valley trips focused on Howell Mtn, Spring Mtn, and Atlas Peak. This trip we dedicated to Mt Veeder, with a day also so dedicated to Diamond Mountain. We have long known and enjoyed Mt Veeder wines - notably the legendary Mayacamas, the popular Hess, the producer namesake Mt Veeder, and the popular Robert Craig Mt Veeder cabernet, one of his collection of single mountain designated cabs.

If not for simplicity, from a logistical standpoint, we start at the top of the Mountain and work our way down. You can select the metaphor for this strategy. To that end, we started our assault of Mt Veeder at the top at Yates Family Vineyard. Note the designation Vineyard, over Winery, as the Yates family have been farming the property for sixty years producing and selling top quality fruit to producers who bottle under their own label - no doubt popular producers we know, and others. Due to the heritage of the original developers from Europe back in the 1800's, the property was originally planted in German and Alsatian varietals. Over time these have been replaced with the traditional Bordeaux varietals that are now most popular on Mt Veeder - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,and some Cabernet Franc.

Yates Family Mt Veeder Vineyard

In recent years, Proprietor Mike Yates aided by his daughter Whitney Yates Hanes have worked together as Co-Winemakers to produce wines under the Yates label. They estate bottle under a standard varietal designate labels as well as a Reserve. They also produce a St Emilion style blend and a left bank Bordeaux blend Alden Perry Reserve named for family patriarch Mike's grandfather, Perry and father Alden, who shifted to the Bordeaux varietals in the early fifties, (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc). Produced in small quantity of less about 200 cases, we tasted from a 375 as this was SOLD OUT in standard bottles. We also tasted their Viognier 2009.

Yates Family Vineyards historic wine-house.

We were greeted by Mary Yates who otherwise handles the books, and her husband Todd Jones who has taken over sales and marketing duties. On the property still sits the historic ghost winery built back in the 1800’s and operated then as “Castle Rock Vineyard”, which we toured. 

Ironically, there is a Chicago connection. Early product was shipped in barrel to Chicago where it was then bottled and sold as Claret from a retail store on Wells Street, although its not known whether that was North or South Wells.

W/ Mary Yates Jones and Todd Jones of Yates Family Winery and Vineyards. 

Mike Yates of Mt Veeder Yates Family Vineyards

The Yates Family Wines tasted:

From our tasting at the winery estate: 

Yates Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 

Dark deep inky purple color - complex and full bodied, the black berry and black cherry fruits were accented by dusty rose petals, tones of dark bittersweet chocolate, spice, and a layer of leather on a smooth tannin finish. This should integrate and gain polish over five years and last ten more. RM 91 points. 

Tasting Yates Family Wines 

Check out Yates Family wines - small production crafted wines that reflect the true terrior of Mt Veeder. We look forward to receiving our Yates wines and trying upcoming vintages and offerings to come.

Our Mt Veeder Tasting Group at historic and picturesque Yates Family Vineyards

Yates Family Mount Veeder Redwoods Estate Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 

The winemaker's notes on this release sum it up well. "Deep dark purple ruby in color shows the intensity of this varietal. Bold earthy aromas of eucalyptus, sweet cherry, blackberry, cedar stone, and bittersweet chocolate. Lusciously complex, this wine boasts of high toned fruits, cherries perfectly ripened in the sun, rose, leather, cinnamon, briar, wet stone with a hit of coriander. The finish is smooth and memorable."  

Wine Enthusiast gave this release 92 points in their September 2009 issue.

This was aged eighteen months in 35% new French oak.  

Producers notes on the 2006 vintage,  "2006 started off with heavy rains bringing in the New Year.  This wet weather lingered into spring. This caused the vines to grown energetically early, delaying bloom into June.  June’s weather started to warm, with dry conditions favoring fruit set.  July had some record heat which was followed by a moderate summer.  Harvest was delayed due to the wet spring and delayed bloom.  Total yield was slightly lower, with small berries that helped concentrate the flavors and enhance the fruit aromas creating intense wines with soft tannins for accessibility early but still possessing age ability for years to come."

Back in 2020, I wrote, “at fourteen years of age, this is likely tasting at the apex of its drinking window.” Five years later, it is showing well with no signs of diminution from aging, but certainly not likely to improve any further, so, drink up and enjoy over the near term. 

We still hold three bottles of this label. Each are still in pristine condition - the label, foil and fill level. This cork was still ideal as well - easily extracted with a “ahso”, two pronged cork puller. It probably could’ve been removed with a traditional server’s corkscrew. 

As with earlier tastings, tonight, this was consistent with our earlier tasting experience, dark deep inky purple color - complex and full bodied, the black berry and black cherry fruits were accented by dusty rose petals, tones of dark bittersweet chocolate, spice, and a layer of leather on a smooth tannin finish.” 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1106552  

https://www.yatesfamilyvineyard.com/ 

https://twitter.com/YatesFamilyWine 

@YatesFamilyWine

Iconic legendary Monte Bello and birthyear vintage Diamond Creek for birthday celebration

Iconic legendary Monte Bello and birthyear vintage Diamond Creek for birthday celebration ...

We joined son Ryan and his family for a celebration of D-in-law Michelle's and g-daughter Mackenzie's birthdays. For the occasion Ryan opened a birthyear vintage ultra-premium namesake Diamond Creek label that I obtained long ago at auction and gifted to them a while back for such an occasion. He also opened an ultra-premium Ridge Monte Bello to compare.

What better way to celebrate a special occasion than to serve a 100 point wine. This 2017 Ridge Monte Bello is a classic monumental release that got perfect 100 point scores from two critics, and near perfect 99 and 98 scores from the next three. 

I've written in these pages as guidance for neophytes and collectors, there are 'every day' wines, 'once a week' wines, 'once a month' and 'once a year' wines, and then there are 'once in a lifetime', and/ore special occasion wines. Choose your frequency, based on your budget, in any event, these would be 'special occasion' wines! 

This extraordinary exemplary wine "needs a solid decade of bottle age and will have 50-60 years of overall longevity", according to perfect scorer Jeb Dunnuck who wrote, "a legendary Monte Bello, pure perfection ... despite the long drinking window, it offers plenty of pleasure even today."

I wrote in depth about the Ridge Monte Bello vineyards and estate in a tasting journal blogpost back in 2015. 

Monte Bello has been called an American 'first growth' and is known for bold, complex, long lived Bordeaux style wines. Monte Bello is the unique flagship label of this prolific producer known for a broad line of vineyard select Zinfandels from throughout Northern California  including Sonoma and Napa Counties. Monte Bello is unique not only that it is a Ridge produced Bordeaux blend, but also because it is sourced from fruit from the Monte Bello vineyard, high atop the Santa Cruz mountains that separate Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay to the east and north, from the Pacific Ocean and the Monterey Bay/Peninsula to the west and south. The Santa Cruz Mountains have their own AVA, little known but highly regarded for some legendary wines such as this.

This is especially notable to us since it is closest to, yet high above the location of our home from when we lived in Saratoga, California, nestled up against the Santa Cruz mountain range down at the bottom of Silicon Valley, near the crease where the road leads up into the mountains and over 'the hill' down to Santa Cruz on the Pacific coast.

Ridge Monte Bello 2017

The 2017 Monte Bello is a Bordeaux Blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, aged mostly in new American oak. It is sourced 100% from the Santa Cruz Mountains' Monte Bello vineyard.

Deep saturated garnet/purple colored, full-bodied, "incredibly powerful, and one of the most concentrated versions of this cuvée ever made", says Dunnuck.

Synopsis - Complex, yet elegant, bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, graphite, chocolate, and chalky minerality, roasted plums, tar, aniseed and exotic spices, incredible intensity and depth of blackberries, pine needles, blackcurrants and black olives, many layers of fruit and very fine, creamy, velvety tannins.

 RM 96 points.

As noted above, this was rated 100 points by Jeb Dunnuck and Wilfred Wong of Wine.com, 99 points by James Suckling, incredible concensus of 98 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, The Somm Journal and Wine & Spirits, 96 by Wine Spectator, #77 of Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2020, and 94 by Connoisseurs' Guide. 

100 Points – Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
100 Points –  Wilford Wong of Wine.com
99 Points – James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
98-100 Points – William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
98 Points – Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
98 Points – Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirits
97+ Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96 Points – James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

The accolades were substantial and momentous - "Ridge's Monte Bello occupies a rarefied space and time. This iconic wine, produced out of the Santa Cruz Mountains, has a life of its own that can never be replicated." - Jeb Dunnuck

"The 2017 vintage is cosmic." - James Suckling

What sets the palate apart is its purity: though incredibly layered, it offers a kaleidoscopic journey from blackcurrant to tobacco and dried flowers, offering continual sparks of flavor long after the wine has been swallowed.

Refined, spicy nose; velvety texture. Fresh and tangy, elegant and complex, with layers of juicy plum and berry; wonderful now, it will be spectacular in a few years - 98 Wine & Spirits

One of California’s most iconic Cabernets since its inaugural release some fifty years back, the Ridge Monte Bello bottling justly remains so to this day.

Winemaker Notes- Opaque purple-ruby color. Ripe blackberry fruit, barrel spice, anise, violets, and crushed limestone. Opulent mountain fruits on entry, fennel, sweet oak, well-structured tannins, and firm acid. Powerful complexity and tremendous length to the finish.

https://www.ridgewine.com/

A tough act to follow but this is another legendary wine,vintage aged from a birthyear vintage, hence special in its own right, beyond comparison.

Diamond Creek "Gravelly Meadow" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1983

We have fun with this label commemorating daughter-in-law Michelle, whose maiden name was Diamond. We hold a collection of Diamond Creek Vineyards single vineyard bottlings from their four estate vineyards dating back to the early 80's with highlights such as this birthyear vintage 1983. 

Special wines for special occasions -

We served a horizontal selection of each Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from magnums at the wedding of our son Ryan to Michelle Diamond! Several magnums were birth year vintages. 

We have visited the Diamond Creek estate several times over the years including a private tasting during our Diamond Mountain Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011, and again during their release tour open house for their release tasting of the 2015 vintage Diamond Creek releases at an Open House held at the Estate as part of our 2017 Napa Valley Wine Experience.

Diamond Creek Vineyards was founded in 1968 by Al Brounstein, an entrepreneur and was the first California estate to focus solely on and produce only Cabernet Sauvignon.

Located in the Diamond Creek district, on the lower reaches of Diamond Mountain, at the northern end of the Mayacamas range, just south of Calistoga, Diamond Creek, Brounstein was also an early American adopter of the European practice of bottling wines according to which vineyard had produced the grapes, , focusing on, taking advantage, and highlighting the area’s numerous micro-climates and soil types by selecting and bottling distinctive single vineyard designated wines. . 

By the early 1990s he was bottling by even smaller “microclimates” within the various vineyards. Diamond Creek wines are known for their concentration, austerity and deep color and they consistently earn high marks from reviewers. They are known to be long lived, age-worthy wines lasting decades with proper cellaring.

This is another unique tasting experience - one of the four Diamond Creek labels - all single vineyard designated bottlings from one of their distinctive four vineyards at the estate.

 Diamond Creek is a case study in terroir - each of its four vineyards with its own micro-climate, soil type and geography that are revealed in their single vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon wines - named for their four distinctly different origination vineyards. 

The vineyards of Diamond Creek, as pictured here are Gravelly Meadow (5 acres - center left), Red Rock Terrace (7 acres front), Volcanic Hill (8 ac,res opposite), and Lake (¾ acre), plus Petit Verdot (1 acre) to the left outside of frame. 

The vineyards are amazingly co-located close to each other yet have distinctive individual characteristics that are revealed in their wines. 

Though Brounstein died in 2006 the wines remain highly collectible. Today the vineyards are planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. About 3,500 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon are produced annually.

With co-founder, matriarch
Boots Brounstein

With fellow 'Pour Boys' Dan and Bill at the
Diamond Creek estate open house

Winemaker notes about Gravelly Meadow - "Our second coolest microclimate is our five-acre Gravelly Meadow vineyard. Originally a prehistoric river bed, this stony, gravelly soil drains rapidly and the vines struggle for moisture.'

"Gravelly Meadow is our lowest yielding vineyard. The wines are described as "earthy, cedary, jammy and ripe blackberry with a spicy expansive finish."

Read More: https://www.thedailymeal.com/wine/diamond-creek-gravelly-meadow-cabernet-sauvignon-magnum-1983/

At forty years, this aged Napa Valley Cabernet was still approachable, showing and drinking remarkably well. While past its prime, it was still within its drinking window, showing very little diminution from age.

James Laube of Wine Spectator cited, "A successful 1983, with remarkable length, finesse and texture, remarkable flavor for such a difficult and tannic vintage..."

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex and still vibrant plum and berry fruits with notes of cedar, tobacco, earthy leather and hints of anise, dark bitter mocha and smoke with moderate tannins on a moderate lingering finish.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=45804

 https://www.diamondcreekvineyards.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2011/03/diamond-mountain-wine-experience.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/07/diamond-creek-open-house-2013-release.html  

Ryan then opened one of our favorite producer's labels.

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

How touching for Ryan to open one of our favorite producer's labels for continuing the Cabernet flight. Robert Craig is one of the broadest and deepest producer holdings in our cellar collection. Our Cellartracker records show we hold four cases of this label across a dozen vintages. Notably, this was the last vintage release of this storied label.

Robert Craig produced five different labels - what he called four mountains and a valley - a mountain fruit Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, and this one from Mt Veeder. I recall Robert telling us on numerous occasions that his favorite label was the Mount Veeder (Napa Valley) Cabernet Sauvignon. This was likely in light of his early years managing vineyards up on Mt Veeder on behalf of Hess Collection, and then Robin William's winery (Toad Hollow, named for his brother Todd, whose name he couldn't pronounce as a child calling him Toad instead of Todd), and then his long history sourcing fruit from vineyards there to supply one of his key labels, the Mt Veeder Cabernet of the Robert Craig portfolio. 

This long association ended just a couple of years ago with the purchase of the vineyards by the Tesseron French conglomerate from the estate of the departed Robin Williams. This was the last vintage release of this label as noted by the producer - "After 22 years sourcing our Veeder Cabernet from the Pym Rae Vineyard, the 2015 will be our final bottling from the late Robin Williams’ 19-acre property. Pym Rae is on the north end of the appellation, free from coastal influence, where the fruit develops incredible structure and purity. For now, we say a fond farewell to an outstanding property and old friend, while looking ahead to 2019, when we will introduce our first Cabernet from our new estate vineyard—newly christened “Amentet Vineyard”—which abuts the Pym Rae property.

Notably, Robert Craig also passed away around this time. I wrote about Robert and this label in a tribute in these pages in 2019 - Robert Craig Tribute - Robert Craig Tribute and Remembrance - Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. Sadly, this is the end of an era for this label with which we have a long history and many memories dating back to the inaugural release in 1993-94.

Winemaker's Notes - "Our 2015 Mount Veeder offering is a towering wine of tremendous tannin structure coupled with dense color. Classic Mount Veeder markers are present in force; dried cocoa, pencil shaving, cassis, and mountain violet are woven into this tightly wound wine. This Mount Veeder release is without doubt one of the most profound Cabernets that we have produced at Robert Craig Winery in terms of its size and power. If enjoying this wine young, a two-hour decant is recommended. The 2015 Mount Veeder will cellar comfortably for decades yet should start to show well as soon as 2020."

This was a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot. It was aged 18 months in Chateau-style French oak; 80% new & 20% 2nd year.

This was described as Amentet Estate Vineyard, Mount Veeder and was rated 95 points by Antonio Galloni of Vinous. He wrote: "One of the highlights in this range, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt. Veeder) is seriously beautiful. A healthy dollop (24%) of Merlot gives the wine terrific mid-palate pliancy and fruit depth to play off of the more intensely mineral and soil-drive signatures, of which there are many. Raspberry jam, crushed rocks, blood orange, white pepper and red cherry jam infuse this deep, powerful Cabernet Sauvignon from Robert Craig." Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2018

Going forward, this label will continue with the 2019 vintage, explained by the producer below:

https://store.robertcraigwine.com/2015-Mount-Veeder-Cabernet-Sauvignon

"Perched at 1,700’ of elevation along Wall Road on the north end of the Mount Veeder AVA, this 6.5-acre vineyard is destined for greatness. After 22 vintages of purchasing fruit on a handshake contract with the late actor Robin Williams from the neighboring Pym Rae vineyard, it was a joy to receive a first harvest from our own immaculate young vineyard in 2016. We christened the property Amentet Vineyard, after the Egyptian Goddess of the West. With the “rebirth” of our Veeder Cab, Amentet (pronounced “AH-men-TETT”) seems the perfect patroness—the goddess of fertility and rebirth, who was often depicted with a hawk perched upon her head. Given the number of red tails spotted from our new vineyard, this seems particularly providential. The site was planted and managed by the same man who farmed the neighboring Pym Rae vineyard for Robin for more than two decades, and it is no surprise that the resulting wines are so similar. The sandy, gravel-based soils of shale with a sandstone topsoil produce wines that are black in color with very low PH values and naturally high acids. A perfect combination for longevity. The beauty of this warmer, fog-free northern section of Mount Veeder is that the wines are free of any unwanted vegetal or rustic characteristics that can affect cooler climate sites to the south." 

Mt Brave Double Diamond Napa Reds at Morton's Steakhouse Naperville

Mt Brave and Shrader Double Diamond Napa Reds at Morton's Steakhouse Naperville

Son Sean and d-in-law Michelle took us to trendy upscale Morton's Steakhouse here in Naperville (IL) for a festive Christmas dinner outing. Morton's are one of the premier upscale steakhouses, with over 65 restaurants nationwide since opening the first in Chicago in 1978. Morton's specializes in steaks with complementary seafood and accompaniments, with each location offering a deep broad extensive award winning winelist. 

Sean, Linda and I each ordered beefsteak entrees, Sean the Waygu, me the surf and turf beef filet with lobster tail, and Linda the beef filet Oscar selection with crabmeat. Michelle ordered the lamb chops. We ordered family style side dishes of creamed spinach and smoked gouda cheese au gratin potatoes.  

Morton's has an award winning winelist that features 275 different selections, mostly American, with an inventory of 1500 bottles, showcased in the elegant glass enclosed wineroom cellar adjacent to and separating the bar from the dining room.

From the winelist I ordered a Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt Brave.

Perusing the winelist I noted they offered Shrader Double Diamond Oakville Napa Cabernet by the glass. Of course this wine was just awarded Wine Spectator's #1 Top 100 Wine of the Year for 2022.  I couldn't resist and ordered a glass to try this momentus wine only to be advised it was sold out, but they just acquired a case of half bottles of the label, so we took advantage and partook of one.

Mt Brave Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

We acquired a bottle of this label from the 2018 vintage but are holding it, aging in our cellar, so I've never tasted this wine and was eager to do so. 

Mt. Brave Veeder Peak Vineyard was formerly the Chateau Potelle Vineyard, since taken over the powerful expansive Jackson Family Wine Empire. The estate sits high atop Mt Veeder at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 1,800 feet, above the fog line, with the morning sun warming the grapes each day, and cooling at night from maritime breezes wafting up from the San Pablo Bay to the south. The sparse soils are comprised of gravelly loam with large and small rocks that hold the heat into the evenings contributing to the ripening of the grapes. The sparse nutrients and minerals in the soil coupled with the drainage from the steep slanted slopes result in tiny berries with concentrated and complex flavors. 

We toured Mt Veeder during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder Appellation Wine Experience in 2011. 

The wines of Mt. Brave show the characteristic brambly aromas and blue fruit flavors that are common to Mt. Veeder but are expressed here uncommonly well. They feature intense minerality, well-defined tannins allowing for extended aging, and recognizable mouth-pleasing acidity. The incredible structure suggests an extended development over time, but the wines have been crafted for enjoyment and celebration in the present.

The Mt Brave winemaker is Chris Carpenter known for legendary Napa winemaking for Lokoya and Cardinale, involved since the Mt. Brave project began in 2007. 

Chris, originally from Chicago, earned a BS in biology from the University of Illinois, then an MS in both viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis. He also holds an MBA in marketing and international business from the University of Illinois. He broke into the wine business with a prestigious research internship at Tenute Antinori in Tuscany and further study at Università per Stranieri di Perugia. Through these experiences he developed an old world sensibility paired with a new world ambition.

This label release is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. It was barrel aged 21 months in 100% French oak, 80% new.

Winemaker notes on this label: "Grown on the rocky slopes of Mt. Veeder, the 2019 Cabernet shows notes of black cherry, blueberry, and Asian spice. On the palate, the wine has a profound density of fruit that is structured by fine tannins while the perfectly balanced acidity elongates a long savory finish."

This release was award 96 Points James Suckling, 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, and 94 points by Wine Advocate.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex concentrated, bright expressive ripe blackberry and huckleberry notes with cassis, caramel, cedar turning to refined tannins and bright acidity on a lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4306541 

https://www.mtbravewines.com/

https://twitter.com/MtBraveWines

@MtBraveWines

Shrader Double Diamond Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvginon 2019

This label is from the ultra premium producer Schrader as a separate second brand. We hold a half dozen labels from this brand going back a decade. Double Diamond labels are available from appellations vineyards in Napa Valley, Amber Knolls in Lake County, Mayacamas in Sonoma, and this from the Oakville appellation in Napa Valley, 70% from the legendary To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. 

The winemaker for Double Diamond (Schrader) is Thomas Rivers Brown. I wrote about him in an earlier blogpost about Double Diamond Amber Knolls Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

What a surprise that a wine from their second label brand would gain infamy and notoriety as Wine Spectator's #1 Top 100 Wine of the Year for 2022. 

I've written in these pages about the consternation when a favored wine gains such notoriety resulting in exorbitant demand drying up availability, and significantly driving up the price from that moment forward.  It was timely and serendipitous that this wine was available at our dining site tonight.

Producer notes - "Our 2019 Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown in the Schrader Cellars tradition of making the best Cabernet Sauvignon that Napa Valley can offer. A unique expression of the Oakville AVA with harmonious integration of decadent fruit, refined structure, and silky tannins, the 2019 vintage of Double Diamond is ready to enjoy now and will continue to evolve over the next 3-5 years."

Winemaker notes - "The 2019 vintage of Double Diamond offers intricately woven layers of decadent flavor, complemented by exotic spice components and a refined tannin structure. It highlights all the best attributes of what defines Oakville as the epicenter for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.'

"In the glass, the wine displays a nearly opaque ruby-purple hue. Upon closer inspection, aromas emerge in waves suggesting framboise, nutmeg, toasted cedar bark, plum reduction, and pennyroyal mint. The sleek palate is marked by mouth-watering notes such as blackberry compote, dark chocolate shavings, cassis, oolong tea, flint, and lavender. The dynamic flavors interact on the mid-palate with a vivid harmony, carrying through to the long floral finish, which lasts for up to a minute. With a  pleasing acidity and fine tannic framework, this wine is very enjoyable today and should develop gracefully in the cellar for years to come."

This wine was awarded a rare consensus 94 points from Jeb Dunnuck, James Suckling and of course, Wine Spectator which also anointed it #1 Wine of the Year in its Top 100 wines of 2022. That accolade is awarded based on availability and value as well as quality and distinction. 

Dark garnet colored with hues of purple, medium full bodied, aromatic, elegant, round, nicely balanced and integrated ripe plum, black currant and blackberry fruits with notes of mint, cassis, bittersweet cocoa, tobacco, and hints of sweet caramel, turning to smooth polished tannins on a lingering finish. 

RM 94 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4503361

https://doublediamondwines.com/products/2019-cabernet-sauvignon-750ml

https://twitter.com/dd_wines

@dd_wines 

https://www.mortons.com/

https://twitter.com/Mortons 

@Mortons

Exzellenz and aged Robert Craig Mt Veeder for holiday celebration gathering

Exzellenz and aged Robert Craig Mt Veeder for holiday celebration gathering

The kids and grandkids all assembled at our house following the annual ritualistic Santa's breakfast at our local Seven Bridges Golf Club, for Christmas celebration, opening presents, watching the FIFA World Cup final, dinner and some festive wines. 

Since we had a large breakfast together, Linda prepared a more informal lighter meal for the afternoon with lasagna, salad, shrimp cocktail and holiday deserts. 

For such a festive family gathering, the boys went down to the cellar and pulled two memorable, notable bottles, Hall's flagship ultra-premium Exzellenz Napa Cabernet, from the grandkids birthyear 2015 vintage, and the historic inaugural vintage release of Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, 1993.

Hall Exzellenz Rutherford Sacrashe Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

We discovered, tasted and acquired this label at the magnificent Rutherford Estate Winery during our Napa Wine Experience in 2017. This is sourced from the Sacrashe Vineyard that lies just above the winery adjacent to the estate residence. We hold and have had some of the earlier single vineyard designated wines from this vineyard dating back to 1998. Who knew this would evolve and progress to such heights? Not often does one get to taste a 'perfect' wine. of course perfection is in the eyes ('eyze') of the beholder. The 2013 vintage of this label that we tasted that day in their magnificent tasting room in the cave at the Rutherford Sacrashe estate (shown below) got 100 points from  Robert Parker.

Parker wrote of this wine; "This hails from the foothills of Rutherford and refers to Kathryn Hall’s ambassadorship to Austria between 1997 and 2001. A prodigious wine with beautiful floral notes intermingled with blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry and graphite, the wine hits the palate with a full-bodied force, but nothing seems pushed, cloying or out of sync. Gorgeously pure blue and black fruits cascade over the palate, a full-bodied presentation with remarkable purity and complexity. The finish is a good 45-50 seconds, and while there is significant tannin, the extravagance of the fruit and glycerin generally conceal it. This is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind, world class Cabernet Sauvignon that should prove compelling for at least another 30-40+ years."

Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate. 100 Points.

Sacrashe Vineyard at Hall Rutherford Estate

When Alec was living and working in Manhatten, his boss called me and asked about what wine should he order for a holiday selection for his most special clients. I suggested this wine. Of course the purchase allocation from the winery was two bottles, but after some negotiations and a ritualistic wine club mating dance, I obtained two cases for his holiday benefactors and our cellar. 

So, based on that memory and histrionic of this wine, Alec pulled this from the cellar for our special holiday family celebration. I am so glad he did! What a treat, and what better way to enjoy such a spectacular cellar selection than with family - especially my two sons who are becoming oenphiles in their own right, like me! 

Hall Exzellenz Rutherford Sacrashe Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

As explained on the rear label, shown below, the name Exzellenz is German for Ambassador, in commemoration of Kathyn Hall's service as US Ambassador to Austria from 1997 to 2001. 

The bricks in in the magnificent tasting room in the cave at the Rutherford Sacrashe estate (shown right and above) and featured in a separate blogpost at this link)  are recovered and repurposed from a former royal castle in Austria.  

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Sacrashe Vineyard (shown above) at the Hall Rutherford Estate on the lower slopes of the Vaca Range overlooking Rutherford, Napa Valley. 

While this release didn't get 100 points, it came as close as possible, 99 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points from Owen Bargreen of owenbargreen.com, and 93 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Parker wrote about this wine: "Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and sporting a very deep purple-black color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenz unfurls slowly, tantalizingly out of the glass to reveal powerful, intense scents of crème de cassis, Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and preserved plums with an undercurrent of Chinese five spice, molten chocolate, licorice and Marmite toast with wafts of garrigue and camphor. Very rich, full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, it coats the mouth with black and blue fruit preserves plus tons of spice and savory accents, held together by a rock-solid, grainy frame and finishing with epic persistence."

Spectacular! Delicious! Enchanting! Deep dark garnet colored, full bodied, rich, concentrated, round, rich, complex but elegant and seductive smooth blackberry and black currant fruits accented by savory clove/cinnamon spices, tones of crème de cassis, mocha chocolate, tobacco leaf and black tea, with a tongue coating dusty gripping but silky smooth tannin laced lingering finish. 

RM 97 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2508301

https://twitter.com/HALLWines

@HALLWines 

 

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Son Ryan wanted to open an older aged Napa Cabernet from the nineties so we pulled this 1993 Robert Craig. This was the inaugural vintage release of Robert Craig wines. 

I've written often in these pages about our collection of Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignons, one of the largest producer holdings in our cellar. We got to know Robert from the earliest years as he launched and developed his brand and evolved from a tenant using another producer's production facilities to being one of the premier producers in Napa Valley. His approach of  'four mountains and a valley' grew into a broad expansive portfolio of Bordeaux varietals. He loved Napa Valley mountain fruit and produced Cabernet Sauvignon based labels from Mt Veeder, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain and Mt George, as well as the Napa Valley itself. 

Picnic with Robert at Craig Estate atop
Howell Mtn
with Jan and Bill, Andy, Linda and Me

We first met Robert and tasted these wines back at our first visit to Robert Craig during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 1996, and then again at our Robert Craig featured producer wine dinners in Napa Wine Experience 1998,  and again in 1999. We were saddened by his passing and posted a Robert Craig Tribute at that time back in 2019.

We tasted releases of this wine with Robert and his crew at the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 and during other visits such as our 2008 Robert Craig Vineyards and Winery visit up on Howell Mountain. Needless to say, we're long time fans of Bob and the Craig team and their 'artwork'.

We heard him often say, his favorite was Mt Veeder reflecting his heritage and history starting out there working in the earliest days as winemaker for Hess and the late comedian Robin Williams and his Toad Hollow brand which later developed to Pym Rae vineyard designated product. 

We hold a vertical collection of this wine that spans two decades going back to this first vintage release. We've held this looking for the right occasion to open such a unique bottle, and concerned that perhaps we'd held it too long and that it might be past its prime or even suitable drinking window. So it was with pleasant relief and surprise that this was approachable and drinking well, still within its acceptable drinking window.

This release was awarded 96 points by  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate who called it "One of the vintage’s superstars, ,,, from a winery that is still somewhat under-appreciated for what they have achieved. It received 92 points from Connoisseurs Guide and 91 points from Wine Enthusiast.

 Wine Enthusiast compared this to the Robert Craig Howell Mountain release saying, this is "Riper, softer and more accessible than Craig's Howell Mountain Cab, this wine, grown at 1,800 feet, shows delicious cherry, currant and chocolate flavors, with the caramel and toast of new oak. For all the deliciousness, it still has mountain tannins, and should age well for a decade."

This is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. 

What a pleasant surprise to find this drinking nicely after so many years. There was a barnyard funkiness initially but this burned off eventually. 

Dark inky garnet colored, medium full bodied, blackberry black currant fruits with notes of spice, leather, tobacco and hints of bitter dark mocha, vanilla and sweet caramel on a tangy acidic moderate tannin laced finish. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=86390

https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine  

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

For midweek dinner in, we selected this legendary Napa Valley Cabernet from the cellar. 

This follows a recent blogpost about Mayacamas when we selected a Mayacamas Chardonnay for a similar setting, midweek dinner in. In a replay of highlights from that blogpost I wrote:

For a weeknight dinner, Linda prepared a smoked turkey breast with mash potatoes, gravy, and mixed vegetables. For a wine pairing,  I opened one of Linda's favorites, Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay.

We tasted this wine at the historic old winery and vineyards high atop Mt Veeder at the south end of the Mayacamas mountain range that separates Napa and Sonoma valleys during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011. We obtain and keep a half dozen vintages in our cellar ever since. 

We pulled this from the cellar for tonight's pairing, the oldest vintage release for this label, as part of effective cellar management.

The mountain terroir at Mayacamas ranges from 1,800 to 2,400 feet in elevation and the estate spans 475 acres, only 50 of which are dedicated to vines.

I wrote in detail about the original historic Mayacamas winery (left) tht dates back to 1889 in earlier blogposts including one in January 2016. 

The modern era Mayacamas dates back to 1968 when the property was taken over by Robert Travers who had worked at Heitz Cellars. He and his wife Elinor continued to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay striving to make wines of great character, depth, complexity, and longevity.

In July 2013, Mayacamas was purchased by Charles and Ali Banks in partnership with Jay Schottenstein and his son, Joey. Andy Erickson took over the Estate’s winemaking duties, and Phil Coturri took over farming and vineyard development. This release was crafted by Winemakers Andy Erickson and Braiden Albrech.

The old vines of the Terraces vineyard had been deteriorating, so after a long and productive life many were retired with the 2013 Harvest being their last. 

Since then, many of the vines from the old historic vineyards have been replanted with only a few plots remaining from the old historic vines. 

 

In 2017, the Schottenstein family of Columbus, Ohio, took over the remainder of the 100% ownership of Mayacamas Vineyards to become sole proprietors of the estate and brand. 

 

As noted above, Jay Schottenstein and his son Joey had been partners in Mayacamas Vineyards since it was purchased from long-time owner Bob Travers in 2013. 

 

A month later in October 2017, the Nuns Fire reached Mayacamas Vineyards. One of the property’s historic buildings burned to the ground but the historic stone winery building constructed in 1889 survived intact.

The burned structure, was a building they called “the residence.” that served as the hospitality center for the winery (though Mayacamas is generally not open to the public for tastings). That building was completely destroyed.

Mayacamas has been on a roll with their estate Cabernet Sauvignon with the 2015 vintage having been awarded #2 on Wine Spectators Top 100 wines in 2019 with a 96 point score. The 2018 vintage was awarded 98 points by Vinous and 97 points by Wine Spectator.

 

Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 

 

My Cellartracker records and my blogpost from that Mayacamas Vineyards and Winery visit from that time indicate we tasted and purchase this wine at the winery during that visit back in 2011. 

Cellartracker - purchased from Winery on 3/7/2011, delivered 3/25/2011.

At that time I gave it 91 points.

Winemaker's Comments: Deep, brooding blackberry and black cherry aromas, along with a sage-like dimension, on the nose.  The acidity on the tongue balances the surprisingly supple tannins.  Red currants and plums on the palate finish very long.  Will age gracefully for many years. 

 

This is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot.

This release was awarded 96 points by Vinous and 94 points by Decanter.

At seventeen years, this is likely at the apex of its drinking and not to improve further with additional aging, nor does it show any signs whatsoever from aging. 

 

In 2018 AG at Vinous wrote that "Readers lucky enough to own the 2005 can look forward to several decades of exceptional drinking from this powerhouse, old school Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon."

 

Wine buddy and fellow Pour Boy and Cellartracker Bill C was with us when we visited the estate and also wrote about this wine recently last summer. He wrote:  "Wow! Great depth and complexity. Deep garnet color with no signs of aging. Nose of cassis and graphite. Blueberry, plum and cassis on the front palate with layers of green pepper, mint and tobacco on the mid palate. Big and full bodied with ample tannins yet. Layered and complex.  Tannin and savory notes were most prevalent upon first tasting. Fruit took front stage at about 90 minutes. Tannins became more sedate at 2 hours and the balance, elegance and layers revealed themselves at about 2 and a half hours. A real treat." He gave it 94 points.

 

Regarding the bottle from our cellar, the fill level, foil and label, and importantly, the cork were all in ideal condition. 

 

Upon opening it exhibited some funkiness but that dissipated over the course of about an hour after opening. It should be decanted as it had a fair amount of sediment in the bottle.

 

Bright garnet colored, medium full bodied, rustic rich round concentrated intense black berry and plum fruits with notes of earth, leather, smoke, licorice and tobacco on a lingering moderate tannin finish.

 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1279446

http://www.mayacamas.com/

https://twitter.com/mayacamaswine

@mayacamaswine 

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay for Smoked Turkey Dinner

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay for Smoked Turkey Dinner

For a weeknight dinner, Linda prepared a smoked turkey breast with mash potatoes, gravy, and mixed vegetables. For a wine pairing,  I opened one of Linda's favorites, Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay.

We tasted this wine at the historic old winery and vineyards high atop Mt Veeder at the south end of the Mayacamas mountain range that separates Napa and Sonoma valleys during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011. We obtain and keep a half dozen vintages in our cellar ever since. 

We pulled this from the cellar for tonight's pairing, the oldest vintage release for this label, as part of effective cellar management.

The mountain terroir at Mayacamas ranges from 1,800 to 2,400 feet in elevation and the estate spans 475 acres, only 50 of which are dedicated to vines.

I wrote in detail about the original historic Mayacamas winery (left) tht dates back to 1889 in earlier blogposts including one in January 2016. 

The modern era Mayacamas dates back to 1968 when the property was taken over by Robert Travers who had worked at Heitz Cellars. He and his wife Elinor continued to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay striving to make wines of great character, depth, complexity, and longevity.

In July 2013, Mayacamas was purchased by Charles and Ali Banks in partnership with Jay Schottenstein and his son, Joey. Andy Erickson took over the Estate’s winemaking duties, and Phil Coturri took over farming and vineyard development. This release was crafted by Winemakers Andy Erickson and Braiden Albrech.

The old vines of the Terraces vineyard had been deteriorating, so after a long and productive life many were retired with the 2013 Harvest being their last. 

The 2013 harvest was small but was of exceptional quality, character, and intensity – a stand-out special release. That was bottled as a special designated one time bottling for the 2013 vintage year. 

 

Since then, many of the vines from the old historic vineyards have been replanted with only a few plots remaining from the old historic vines. 

 

In 2017, the Schottenstein family of Columbus, Ohio, took over the remainder of the 100% ownership of Mayacamas Vineyards to become sole proprietors of the estate and brand. As noted above, Jay Schottenstein and his son Joey had been partners in Mayacamas Vineyards since it was purchased from long-time owner Bob Travers in 2013. 

 

A month later in October 2017, the Nuns Fire reached Mayacamas Vineyards. One of the property’s historic buildings burned to the ground but the historic stone winery building constructed in 1889 survived intact.

The burned structure, was a building they called “the residence.” that served as the hospitality center for the winery (though Mayacamas is generally not open to the public for tastings). That building was completely destroyed.

This 2017 vintage of Mayacamas Chardonnay was the current era producer's team's fifth vintage release and they note it showcases both the site and vintage beautifully, a combination of old vines and new.

 

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Mt Veeder Chardonnay 2017 

 

The fruit for this 2017 release was sourced from Mt. Veeder Appellation vineyard sites, and harvested primarily from 40-year old dry farmed vines located between 1,800 and 2,000 feet in elevation above the fog line. It also includes some young vine Chardonnay from the newly replanted Hill Block. 

 

The producers were fortunate to have picked the grapes for this release well before the October 2017 fires that ravaged the area. Those that waited till late in the harvest were denied a harvest that year. 

The blend was aged 22 months in oak and 6 months in steel.

 

Winemakers notes for this release: "Aromas of ripe lemon honeysuckle and crushed oyster shell highlight the nose. On the palate, the wine has the classic Mayacamas acidity and is framed nicely by the textural richness in the mid-palate that comes from a warm vintage".

 

This release was awarded 95 points and *Editors' Choice* by Wine Enthusiast, 94 points by James Suckling and Vinous, 93 points by Decanter and 92 points from Wine Spectator.

 

Golden straw colored, full-bodied, structured and tight with dense but bright vibrant apple and pear fruits with notes of lemon citrus and peach and wet stone, with bright tangy acidity and creamy Oak on a lengthy finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3218950

http://www.mayacamas.com/

 

https://twitter.com/mayacamaswine