Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette 2005
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Wilfred
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2005 Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette is a beautiful blend of Bordeaux grape varieties. Complex and elegant, this wine is at its peak now. Showing complex red and black fruit, with accents of cocoa powder and mineral, its intricate nuances pair it well with pan-seared loin lamb chops. (Tasted: January 12, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
An impressive young Bordeaux blend, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, that shows impeccably ripe, clean fruit but also the hard tannins of its famous mountain. Thoroughly dry, its astringency cannot mask an eruption of blackberries and black currants, accented by smoky oak. Give this lovely wine a good five years to begin to mature.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
81% Cabernet Sauvignon; 7% Petit Verdot; 7% Cabernet Franc; 5% Merlot. Here is a nice reminder that extract and depth are not always synonymous with overly flamboyant oak and unrestrained ripeness, and, while it is not at all stinting in depth or rich fruit, this bottling exhibits a bit of sophistication that sets it apart. Nicely balanced, slightly supple in feel and fit with especially well-tailored tannins, it is an enjoyable and cellar- worthy wine.
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The upper most property on the estate, La Perla, was founded in 1873 by Charles Lemme and expanded by the Schilling Spice family. Originally 285 acres it had the first Cabernet Sauvignon planted on Spring Mountain. The old winery remains today along with much of its original equipment and horse drawn carriages and wagons. Immediately below La Perla, and eventually added to it was the first vineyard planted by Fredrick and Jacob Beringer in 1882. These terraced hillsides were planted in a wide assortment of grape varieties to support the Beringer brothers fledgling winery.
Adjoining to the north of the Beringer vineyard was a Frenchman, Fortune Chevalier, whose stone winery, Chateau Chevalier, was making wine in 1891. And finally, next door to Chevalier was Tiburcio Parrott who grew olives, citrus and grapes. Parrott built a grand home on the estate which he named Miravalle.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.