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.
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| 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.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. |
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| 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. 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.
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of The Wine Advocatewrites that the 2016 La Crau is undoubtedly one of the top vintages of this wine and rated it 96 points; Vinous gave it 93-95 points.
