UnwindWine: Search results for Robert Craig Affinity

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Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Robert Craig Affinity Duo with Grilled Beefsteaks

Robert Craig Affinity Duo Mini-Vertical with Grilled Beefsteaks

We were invited to son Alec’s and D-in-law Vivianna’s for midweek dinner of grilled beefsteaks, roasted potatoes and grilled onions - a chance to enjoy family including our grand-daughters.

Prior to dinner, we enjoyed some artisan cheeses with crackers and fresh grapes, and Linda brought a mixed green Ceasar salad.

For pairing with the grilled beefsteaks, I pulled and brought from our home cellar an aged vintage Red Blend - Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.

This label is the Bordeaux varietal blend from Robert Craig. We have a long history with this producer and their numerous Napa Valley Cabernets dating back to their inaugural release in 1993, and they represent one of the largest and longest holdings in our wine cellar collection.

Notably, Alec had just received a recent release of this same label which allowed the opportunity to do a mini-vertical comparison tasting of the 2007 and 2022 releases. He shared, and I took home a bottle of this release extending my vertical collection to nearly two dozen vintages.

We first tasted the 2007 vintage of this wine from a barrel sample, and acquired this label release during the Robert Craig Harvest Party, at the Winery and Vineyards estate high atop Howell Mountain back in 2009 as featured in this blogpost - Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party 2009.

Linda, Robert and me
With Bill and Beth C and Rachel,
Robert Craig Hospitality Ambassador

I’ve written about Robert Craig and their Cabernet Sauvignon portfolio and this label numerous times in these pages, which are excerpted here - as last featured March 2, 2025 - Robert Craig Affinity Napa Cabernet 2007, and previously January 25, 2022 Robert Craig Affinity 2007.

We hold more than two decades of this label dating back to the inaugural release in 1993. This is part of a case we acquired of this label at the release party at the winery high atop Howell Mountain, so it is one we know well.

I have written about Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in these pages many times including this detailed blogpost back in 2019, and again in 2021 in this post - Tomahawk Rib-eye Dinner features Robert Craig Affinity Duo, both partially excerpted below.

Robert Craig is one of our favorite Napa Valley producers and represents one of our largest holdings in our cellar. We've held many wine dinners with Robert and Lynn Craig and attended many events at the estate and winery. We have many fond memories of those dinners, lunches and other tasting events, and hearing Robert talk about this label.

We visited Robert Craig's site high atop Howell Mountain several times, as shown here with wine buddy Andy, sister Jan and bro-in-law Bill, and wine buddy Bill and Beth C. One of our memorable trips featured a picnic lunch at the site overlooking the valley below shown below. It was during that trip that Bill discovered and subsequently sourced Howell Mountain Cabernet, Affinity and Robert Craig Zinfandel which they served at daughter Krista's wedding.

With Robert Craig at the estate high atop Howell Mtn
back in 2008.

As mentioned above, we hold as many as two decades of Robert Craig’s portfolio of labels’ vintages dating back to the inaugural vintage release in 1993. This label, Affinity, represents the Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon based blend of Cabernet Sauvignons and other Bordeaux varietals sourced from the various Napa Valley appellations.

Robert Craig flight of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons

Affinity is the Bordeaux Blend of the Robert Craig portfolio such that Robert always took immense pride in this label, as the entry level introduction to his 'three mountains and a valley' appellation select Napa Cabernets, referring to his appellation designated premium labels from Mt Veeder, Howell Mtn and Spring Mountain. There were also bottlings from Atlas Peak and Mt George and in later years he would say ‘five mountains and a valley’. He took pride in this providing early gratification quality drinking at an early age, yet as shown tonight, it has some longevity for aging for a decade or more.

I recall many times, Robert speaking fondly of this label and the QPR - quality price ratio it provided, as he strived to hold the price point of this wine to provide excellent value and be a draw to the Robert Craig brand. The appellation designated labels sold for twenty to thirty percent more. I wrote recently about the discontinuation of the Mt Veeder label after two decades of being one of the flagship labels. This was especially poignant as this was Robert's favorite label of the portfolio, having started his career on Mt Veeder.

Sadly, Robert passed away in 2019 and I wrote about him in a Tribute Blog at that time. I opened a 2007 vintage of his favorite label, Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon that evening.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/09/robert-craig-tribute.html

I wrote back in 2019 about Robert's passing in a Tribute to Robert Craig, when the business turned over to new leadership.

Robert never promoted or played up the fact this label was a carefully crafted Bordeaux Blend comprising all the Bordeaux varietals, rather he focused on it as an introduction to the portfolio of Robert Craig Napa Valley Cabernets.

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007

This release was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points Wine Enthusiast.

As noted above, we first tasted this wine from a barrel sample and acquired this release during the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 back in 2009.

Robert Parker wrote in 2009, "Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the next 15 or possibly 20 years. This is the best group of wines I have ever tasted from Robert Craig Winery. Not only is there not a single disappointment in this portfolio, but these are all noteworthy wines, with thrilling levels of quality. Moreover, they are moderately priced for Napa Valley as well as ageworthy. I think these are the finest wines that I have ever tasted from Robert Craig Cellars."

Wine Enthusiast wrote of this release, 'Craig has produced his best bottling since the late 1990s'.

This year’s blend is heavier on the petit verdot, with a composition of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec.

Back in 2022 I wrote, “this exceeded my expectations for this label and indeed was one of the best drinking Affinity's in memory. At fifteen years, this seems to reaching the apex of its drinking profile. Tonight, this 2007 release was as good as any Affinity I recall ever having - a perfect accompaniment to the grilled tenderloin beefsteaks. At eighteen years this was at the apex of its drinking window, not likely to improve further with aging, but available for pleasant drinking for several years yet to come.”

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007 vs 2022

Tonight, at eighteen years, the label, foil and most importantly, the cork and fill level of the 2007 were pristine, ideal for the age. However, the 2007 was starting to show its age, most notably in the color, which has started to take on a slight hazy brownish rust hue, when compared to the bright garnet color of the recent release (as shown 2022 on left, 2007 on right).

Furthermore, while the two vintages showed amazing similarity in the overall tasting profile, the 2007 was starting to take on notes of dusty, earthy leather. The 2007 showed more depth, weight and concentration than the lighter and slightly more austere 2022.

Historic notes for the 2007 release - Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant, polished and smoothly balanced, black berry and black currant fruits with notes of mocha chocolate and spice, hints of cassis, smoke and cedar with smooth silky tannins on a lingering cloying finish.

Tonight, based on these tasting results, I reduced my rating from RM 93 points to RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=802059

I rate the 2022 release at 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5119384

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Cabernet 2007

With grilled beef tenderloin I pulled from the cellar this aged vintage Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend.

We visited Robert Craig's site high atop Howell Mountain several times with sister Jan and bro-in-law Bill, and wine buddy Bill and Beth C. One of our memorable trips featured a picnic lunch at the site overlooking the valley below shown below. It was during that trip that Bill discovered and subsequently sourced Howell Mountain Cabernet, Affinity and Robert Craig Zinfandel which they served at daughter Krista's wedding.

With Robert Craig at the estate high atop Howell Mtn
back in 2008.

Robert Craig flight of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons

This is the Bordeaux Blend of the Robert Craig portfolio that Robert always took immense pride in this label, as the entry level introduction to his 'three mountains and a valley' appellation select Napa Cabernets, referring to his appellation designated premium labels from Mt Veeder, Howell Mtn and Spring Mountain. There were also bottlings from Atlas Peak and Mt George and in later years he would say ‘five mountains and a valley’. He also took pride in this providing early gratification quality drinking at an early age, yet as shown tonight, it has some longevity for aging for a decade or more.

He used to speak fondly of this label and the QPR - quality price ratio it provided, as he strived to hold the price point of this wine to provide excellent value and be a draw to the Robert Craig brand. The appellation designated labels sold for twenty to thirty percent more. I wrote recently about the discontinuation of the Mt Veeder label after two decades of being one of the flagship labels, and was Robert's favorite.

I wrote back in 2019 about Robert's passing in a Tribute to Robert Craig, when the business turned over to new leadership.

Robert never promoted or played up the fact this label was a carefully crafted Bordeaux Blend comprising all the Bordeaux varietals rather focus on it as an introduction to the portfolio of Robert Craig Napa Valley Cabernets.

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007

This release was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points Wine Enthusiast.
We first tasted this wine from a barrel sample and acquired this release during the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 back in 2009.

Wine Enthusiast wrote of this release, 'Craig has produced his best bottling since the late 1990s'.
This year’s blend is heavier on the petit verdot, with a composition of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant, polished and smoothly balanced, black berry and black currant fruits with notes of mocha chocolate and spice, hints of cassis, smoke and cedar with smooth silky tannins on a lingering cloying finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=802059

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Robert Craig Affinity 2007

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - at or approaching its peak with a decade of more enjoyment to go.

For casual midweek dinner I took BYOB to Angelis Italian, our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria, from our cellar, this Napa Bordeaux Blend from one of our favorite producers, a known label from a good vintage for a dependable good selection for the evening.

This release of this label was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points by Wine Enthusiast.

With Robert Craig at the estate high atop Howell Mtn
back in 2008.

Robert Craig represents one of our largest holdings in our cellar. We've held many wine dinners with Robert and Lynn Craig and attended many events at the estate and winery.

We visited Robert Craig's site high atop Howell Mountain several times with sister Jan and bro-in-law Bill, and Bill and Beth C.

One of our memorable trips featured a picnic lunch at the site overlooking the valley below shown below. It was during that trip that Bill discovered and subsequently sourced Howell Mountain Cabernet, Affinity and Robert Craig Zinfandel which they served at daughter Krista's wedding.

Sadly, Robert passed away in 2019 and I wrote about him in a Tribute Blog at that time. I opened a 2007 vintage of his favorite label, Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon that evening.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/09/robert-craig-tribute.html

My Cellartracker record for this label shows a half dozen tasting notes for this release going back from 21 to 2010 as shown below.

6/28/2020 - Consistent with earlier tasting notes.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/06/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.html

2/10/2019 - Earlier tastings of this label cited this release being "a bit tight and slightly closed on opening, but after an hour opened up to show wonderful black and blue berry fruits". 92 Points

5/9/2013 - 90 Points

A bit tight and slightly closed but after an hour opened up to show wonderful black and blue berry fruits, red currant and slight hint of mocha - complex, polished, velvety well integrated smooth silky tannins on a nice lingering soft finish.

3/27/2010 - 93 Points - Initially a bit tight and closed but after an hour opened up to show wonderful black and blue berry fruits, red currant and slight hint of mocha - complex, polished, velvety well integrated smooth silky tannins on a big long soft finish.

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007

In 2009, Robert Parker wrote, "I think these are the finest wines that I have ever tasted from Robert Craig Cellars."

Wine Enthusiast wrote about this release, "Craig has produced his best bottling since the late 1990s." In 2010 they wrote, "Enjoy now or hold up to 20 years."

Tonight this was delightful, perhaps approaching the apex of its drinking profile and window. Knowing I have about half the case left, I'll need to be patient to enjoy watching this mature and age over the next decade.

Consistent with earlier tasting notes, tonight, "Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant, polished and smoothly balanced, black berry and black currant fruits with notes of mocha chocolate and spice, hints of cassis, smoke and cedar with smooth silky tannins on a lingering cloying finish.

RM 93 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=802059

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/04/tomahawk-rib-eye-dinner-features-robert.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/06/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/02/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.html

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/04/napa-vs-sonoma-2k-cabernet-duo.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/09/robert-craig-tribute.html

https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine

Sunday, February 10, 2019

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Twice this week Linda prepared dinners that called for a hearty red wine. Both times I pulled from the cellar Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Monday night she prepared baked pork chops with baked sweet potatoes and asparagus spears. Then, for Sunday dinner she prepared a beef roast with carrots, onions and mashed potatoes.

Robert Craig is one of our favorite Napa Valley producers and represents one of our largest holdings in our cellar. We've held many wine dinners with Robert and Lynn Craig and attended many events at the estate and winery. We visited Robert Craig's site high atop Howell Mountain several times with sister Jan and bro-in-law Bill, and Bill and Beth C. One of our memorable trips featured a picnic lunch at the site overlooking the valley below shown below. It was during that trip that Bill discovered and subsequently sourced Howell Mountain Cabernet, Affinity and Robert Craig Zinfandel which they served at daughter Krista's wedding.

With Robert Craig at the estate high atop Howell Mtn
back in 2008.

We hold as many as two decades of Robert Craig vintages dating back to the inaugural vintage release in 1993. This label, Affinity, represents the Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon based blend of Cabernet Sauvignons and other Bordeaux varietals sourced from the various Napa Valley appellations.

Robert Craig flight of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons

Robert Craig offers at least five different Cabernet labels from what he used to refer to as 'three mountains and a valley', referring to his appellation designated premium labels from Mt Veeder, Howell Mtn and Spring Mountain. He used to speak fondly of this label and the QPR - quality price ratio, as he strived to hold the price point of this wine to provide excellent value and be a draw to the Robert Craig brand. The appellation designated labels sold for twenty to thirty percent more. I wrote recently about the discontinuation of the Mt Veeder label after two decades of being one of the flagship labels, and was Robert's favorite.

In recent years, as Robert and co-owner wife Lynn retired and stepped down from running the daily business, the new owners have raised the price point of this label from the mid to high forty dollar range to mid to high sixty dollars, splitting the difference in the entry level price and the price point of the higher premium price appellation designated labels.

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Earlier tastings of this label cited this release being "a bit tight and slightly closed on opening, but after an hour opened up to show wonderful black and blue berry fruits".

This week this was more approachable on opening and even appealing in the couple of following days, better than when young. It showed the same profile as earlier, garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex black berry and black currant fruits with slight hint of mocha - nicely balanced and polished with velvety well integrated smooth silky tannins on a nice lingering soft finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=802059

For Sunday dinner, after church, Erin and Johnnie joined us for Sunday dinner and Linda's beef roast. I pulled this 2008 vintage of the Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to compare with the 2007 we drank earlier in the week.

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Tonight this was consistent with my earlier tasting when I wrote of this wine back in 2011, "Dark inky color, medium-full bodied, black berry, black cherry, and ripe plum fruits with hint of spice and cedar on smooth moderate tannin finish."

RM 92 points.

Fellow Cellartracker,sums up this wine well in his tasting note, "At 10 years of age, this is drinking very nicely right now! Blackberry, wild berry, and black cherry fruit up front. Notes of espresso, dark chocolate, licorice, with subtle spice and minerals on the mid-palate. Still has some firm, supple tannins with a nice long finish. The extra age has really done this wine justice."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=980053

https://www.robertcraigwine.com/index.cfm

@RobertCraigWine

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Tomahawk Rib-eye Dinner features Robert Craig Affinity Duo

Tomahawk Rib-eye Dinner features Robert Craig Affinity Duo and perhaps the best Affinity ever

With son Alec and daughter-in-law Vivianna staying with us, Linda prepared spectacular grilled tomahawk rib-eyes for dinner, carefully prepared 'Pittsbugh style', with grilled onion rings, haricot verts and whipped potatoes. I pulled from the cellar this duo of aged vintage Robert Craig Affinity's from the 2000 and 2007 vintages as a mini-vertical tasting of this label, one of our favorites.

We hold many fond memories of dinners, lunches and other tasting events with Robert Craig and partner and wife Lynn during many of our Napa Valley wine tours, and hearing Robert talk about this label.

This is the Bordeaux Blend of the Robert Craig portfolio that Robert always took immense pride in as his entry level introduction to his 'five mountains and a valley' appellation select Napa Cabernets. He took pride in holding the price point on this level which provided great QPR - quality price ratio value. He also took pride in this providing early gratification quality drinking at an early age, yet as shown tonight, it has some longevity for aging for a decade or more.

I wrote year before last, after Robert's passing in a Tribute to Robert Craig, when the business turned over to new leadership, the price of the Affinity label understandably crept up to 'market' pricing, a not insignificant increase. Current 'published price' for this at several merchants is $89. I used to try to buy it at sub-$50 prices.

Robert never promoted or played up the fact this label was a carefully crafted Bordeaux Blend comprising all the Bordeaux varietals. He did promote it as an introduction to the portfolio of Robert Craig Napa Valley Cabernets.

I've written often that Robert Craig wines are one of the largest holdings in our cellar collection. We hold more than two dozen vintages of this label dating back to the inaugural release in 1993, as well as several of the single appellation designated selections. I question how those earliest vintages have held up and need to consume them, both as part of cellar management and thinning our collection. This tasting was part of that effort.

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2000

This showed more fruit, balance and complexity than recent earlier tastings, perhaps due to its ideal complementary pairing with the grilled beefsteak.

Still holding its own, and while it won't improve further, its probably at the end of its apex, but still well within the acceptable drinking window, again showing the age-ability of Robert Craig and other carefully crafted Napa Valley Cabernets.

At two decades this is still holding its own, past its prime perhaps and not likely to improve with further aging, but drinking nicely and no need to hurry consuming any remaining bottles.

Dark purple/garnet colored, medium to full bodied, this initially opened to a slight funkiness that revealed its age, which soon burned off to a complex, polished, nicely balanced sophisticated Cabernet with forward black berry and black raspberry fruits with a layer of pleasant, sweet, spicy oak accented by hint of tobacco leaf, black tea and leather, turning to tones of black cherry on the lingering moderate tannin finish.

RM 92

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2365862

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007

This release was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points Wine Enthusiast.

We first tasted this wine from a barrel sample and acquired this release during the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 back in 2009.

Wine Enthusiast wrote of this release, 'Craig has produced his best bottling since the late 1990s'.

This year’s blend is heavier on the petit verdot, with a composition of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec.

This exceeded my expectations for this label and indeed was one of the best drinking Affinity's in memory. At fifteen years, this seems to reaching the apex of its drinking profile.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=802059

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/06/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.htm
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/04/napa-vs-sonoma-2k-cabernet-duo.html

https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine

Monday, April 1, 2024

Robert Craig Affinity with comfort food

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend with comfort food dinner

A cold damp rainy spring night prompted desire for comfort food for a quiet cozy dinner, so Linda prepared one of my favorites, meatloaf, served with asparagus and scalloped potatoes.

To accompany dinner I pulled from the cellar a favorite producer Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend from Robert Craig cellars. I’ve written often in these pages about our broad and deep collection of Robert Craig Napa Valley Cabernets, one of the most extensive in our cellar.

We visited Robert Craig numerous times as posted often in these pages. We tasted and acquired this label during one such Robert Craig tasting events. I featured Robert Craig and this label in detail in an earlier blogpost - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/03/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.html.

Robert was always proud of holding the price point on this label to serve as and entry point and introduction to the brand and the portfolio of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. I lamented as new leadership took over Robert Craig and increased the price, however it still provides good QPR - Quality Price Ratio at the release price of around $65.

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2008

Affinity is Robert Craig's Bordeaux-style blend featuring Cabernet grapes from the winery's estate vineyard in Coombsville, in the eastern foothills of Napa Valley. The cooler growing conditions and well-drained soils of this vineyard produce a distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon that is an ideal complement and counterpoint to grapes from other Craig sources in Rutherford, Oakville and Carneros that are used in the blend.

This vintage release 2008 Affinity is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.

Winemaker Notes - “A delicious nose of mélange of dark black berries, dark-roast espresso and hints of anisette opens up to reveal underlying warm mineral notes, cassis, violets and spice. Signature black and red fruit flows freely across the palate, entwined with more espresso, dark chocolate, and touches of violet and licorice. A warm mineral component echoes the wine's foothills heritage. Firm, supple tannins along the base of the wine keep the luscious fruit aloft through a generous finish, bolstered by crisp acidity.”

A perfect complement to the ground beef meatloaf and at sixteen years is probably at the apex of its aging/drinking profile, not likely to improve further with additional age, but certainly capable to age gracefully for another decade. The label, foil and most importantly fill level and the cork were all in ideal condition.

Consistent with earlier tasting notes (links below) ...

This was dark plum/ruby colored, medium bodied, full round black berry and plum fruits are accented by notes of bitter dark mocha chocolate and hints of anise, elegant spices and cedar with notes of tobacco on a moderate tannin laced lingering smooth polished finish.

RM 92 points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/03/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/02/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.html

https://twitter.com/RobertCraigWine

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=980053

https://robertcraigwine.com/

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Robert Craig Affinity

Tribute to Robert Craig - Affinity Cabernet 2011 - Lot 95 2017

For the end of a tumultuous week, we treated ourselves to a dinner outing at our local neighborhood trattoria, Angeli's Italian. We took BYOB two bottle from our cellar, a latest vintage release of Lot 94 Ninety Plus Cellars Rutherford Cabernet to taste upon release, and an old reliable perennial favorite Robert Craig Affinity Napa Cabernet.

I write about our experience with Ninety Plus Lot 94 in a separate blogpost.

The Robert Craig brand is one of the largest holdings in our wine cellar dating back to the inaugural vintage of their first release in 1993. We hold several dozen bottles of several Robert Craig labels dating back to then across the portfolio of Napa Cabernets. We actually hold a bottle of this label from the first release that actually appeared in 1993.

Over the next two decades Robert Craig expanded the portfolio and added at least five more Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons sourced from different vineyard sites from the two mountain ranges that line and form the two boundaries of Napa Valley.

We've enjoyed many visits to the Robert Craig estate and vineyards high atop Howell Mountain, and the early production facility up on Atlas Peak in the early early days. We've hosted Robert and Lynn Craig for several producer wine dinners over the decades.

As I write this I was reading the Craig blog on the Robert Craig website and just learned that Robert passed away last Sunday at his home in Tuscon with Lynn at his side. We're deeply saddened by this news and he will be missed. He was a wonderful, delightful man and a legend in Napa Valley since his emergence there back in 1990. We have many fond memories of Robert going back to the mid-nineties.

Robert Craig estate visit 2008

Robert Craig Harvest Party 2009

Robert and Lynn Craig Producer Dinner at CIA in 1999

The 2011 vintage of certain Napa Valley appellations was marginal and some producers shunned the vintage altogether, or combined what would normally go into their grand vin with their standard estate bottling. The result was that some of the labels were actually extraordinary from an otherwise modest or lackluster vintage.

The 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet vintage was rated 86 points, the lowest rating in a decade and the only such rating in a span of a dozen years that averaged about 95 points or spectacular. The primary reason for the decline of the vintage was a rare rainy harvest that spared few producers resulting in modest or variable quality generally.

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux Blend 2011

Robert Craig was always most proud of this label and strove to maintain it at a fairly priced affordable, high QPR - quality price ratio. As I have written in these pages, he has recently stepped down from stewardship and day to day duties of the brand that bears his name, and the new owners/managers have let the price of Affinity creep up precipitously.

Despite the lackluster vintage harvest across the region, this was quite good and exceeded my expectations. I wrote recently about the delights and great fortunes of often investing in lesser vintage releases. This may be another such case.

While generally considered a Cabernet due to its predominance in the blend, Affinity is actually a Bordeaux Blend comprised of the traditional Bordeaux varietals. The 2011 release is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec.

Robert Craig's classic Affinity Bordeaux Blend is based on Cabernet Sauvignon grown at the Robert Craig estate in the foothills of Mount Geroge in Napa's Vaca Range. The firm backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon is augmented and enhanced with the small additions of Petit Verdot which adds a bit of color, Malbec which provides some weight, Cabernet Franc for structure,) and Merlot to soften and smooth the blend with a its more approachable mouthfeel. The blend is aged for 18 months in new and second-fill French oak, the resulting wine is powerful and ripe.

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, very nicely balanced and integrated for easy pleasant drinking, a vibrant bright core of sweet blackberry, black raspberry and black currant fruits, with highlights of graphite, floral and toasty oak with moderate smooth tannins on a long tangy soft acidity finish.

RM 91 points.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave it 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1798118

https://robertcraigwine.com/farewell-to-bob-craig/