Winemaker Notes
Formerly known as "Hillwalker", Pilcrow renamed this wine from this vineyard to honor Mt. Veeder conservationists Drs. Archer Taylor and Hasseltine Byrd who turned 399 acres of nearby redwoods into a permanent preserve. This is a prototypical Mt. Veeder vineyard at 1,020 feet, complete with south-facing slope and broken blue-shale soils scraped from the Pacific Ocean floor some 140 million (ish) years ago. The vineyard is true regenerative farming: dry-farmed, organically grown, non-hedged, no-till and the home for a small herd of Black Angus cattle that work and fertilize the vineyard in the winter. Signature Mt. Veeder violet and iris aromatics. The subtle, barely there-Boutes Grand Reserve barrels lift and support the taut, vivid, and up-righted mouthfeel and properly frame the blue fruit, black olive, and fine herb flavors.
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
This is an electric, coiled, and impressively textured Cabernet Sauvignon. It carries a regal mountain freshness, with a wild, sauvage character evoking sage, underbrush, crushed bay leaf and spearmint. Layers of dark forest berries, rich woody spice, and elegant dark cedarwood emerge on the nose and palate. Medium- to full-bodied, it is shaped by mineral-rich tannins and a firm spine of acidity, laced with a hint of pink Himalayan salt. Altogether, this is a wine of great tension, kinetic energy, and wild freshness—layered with savoury spice and dark fruit that keeps you coming back for more. Enjoy now or cellar confidently for decades. From a dry-farmed, organically grown, no-till vineyard atop blue shale and ancient seabed soils, this wine honours Mt?Veeder conservationists Drs?Archer Taylor and Hasseltine Byrd, who preserved 161?ha of nearby redwood forest. With over-wintering cattle and wildlife corridors, the site exemplifies regenerative farming, overseen by Tomas Comme Farming. Pilcrow first sourced fruit here in 2018. Aged 22?months in 42% new French oak, it comes from a label founded in 2014 by Sara and Jonah Beer.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tart cherries and hints of bay leaf dominate the nose of Pilcrow's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Archer & Byrd, which comes from a site on Mount Veeder. Just medium-bodied, it's not overly tannic but shows ample wiry intensity and a long, mouthwatering finish.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Centered at the peak for which it is named, Mount Veeder is Napa’s largest sub-AVA. But even though the entire appellation spreads over 16,000 acres, vineyards cover a mere 1,000. Scattered among Douglas firs and bristlecone pines, Mount Veeder vineyards extend south from the upper elevations of the Mayacamas Mountains—the highest point at 2,400 feet—to the border of the Carneros region. Less than 25 wineries produce wine from Mount Veeder fruit.
Winemaking began early in this appellation. In 1864, Captain Stelham Wing presented the first Mount Veeder wine to the Napa County Fair; it came from today’s Wing Canyon Vineyard. Prohibition, of course, halted winemaking and viticulture wasn’t revitalized until the founding of Mayacamas Vineyards in 1951 and Bernstein Vineyards in 1964.
The Bernstein Vineyards was actually home to the first Petit Verdot in California, planted in 1975. Today most of the Petit Verdot in Napa Valley originates from this vineyard.
Rocky volcanic clay and ancient seabed matter dominate Mount Veeder soils—perfect for Bordeaux varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot enjoy spectacular success. These varieties produce wines rich in brambly blackberry and black cherry fruit with herbal and floral aromatics. Structures are moderate to assertive and wines have great staying power.
Chardonnay from Mount Veeder is lush, full and balanced mineral and fresh citrus flavors.