Winemaker Notes
The beautifully terraced volcanic soil slopes of this property reside in Oakville's western foothills. The 11-acre site faces due east and is the recipient of cool morning sun. Vecina, which appeared with the 1999 vintage in the inaugural Bond release, is always powerful, intense and savory. Vecina's other hallmarks are blackberry fruit, with wild forest floor and mineral associated overtones.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A perfect wine, the 2007 Vecina provides a prodigious display of blackberries, charcoal, black currants, burning embers and a La Mission-Haut-Brion-like hot rock/gravelly character. The most tannic as well as most concentrated and layered of the 2007s, this is a long-term, but utterly brilliant wine. In many ways it reminds me of the Harlan Estate itself given its prodigious build and potential for extended longevity. It merits 4-5 years of bottle age and should drink well for three decades thereafter.
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James Suckling
A very rich nose of currants, blueberries, raspberries galore, and stones. Full bodied, with layers of velvety tannins and a very pretty finish. On the verge of classic.
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Wine & Spirits
Vecina grows at a vineyard on the border between Yountville and Oakville. It's tucked into the hills, with Harlan Estate to the north and Dominus to the south, both visible from the top of the steep terraces. The vine roots run 30 feet deep through cracks and crevasses of the compressed sandstone, producing a wine with the discretion and plump richness of the best sites in this sweet spot of Napa Valley. This is floral with spicy red edges to the fruit. There's flavor interest in the tannin, which is layered and seems to hold the wine's essential character. The richness and volume of the oak are incidental; the finesse and length of the fruit are central. A great 2007, this should evolve for a decade or more.
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Wine Spectator
Exhibits a pleasing, dense mix of loamy earth, mineral, graphite and dried currant, with touches of blackberry and wild berry. Full-bodied, deep and structured, ending with gripping tannins and a persistent finish. Very young and closed.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.