Frias Family Vineyard Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
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Wine Enthusiast
A good, well-made Cabernet, but it's really too young. The flavors are all primary fruit blackberries and black currants, the oak is unintegrated, and the tannins are hard. But all the pieces are in place for aging. Best after 2012.
Other Vintages
2019-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
Hidden among the wooded hills northwest of the central Napa Valley town of St. Helena, Frias Family Vineyard is a small hand-tended property with variable terrain, from terraces to steep hillsides. The Spring Mountain appellation lies on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains that separate Napa Valley from Sonoma Valley. Parent material for the soils are derived from weathered volcanic and sedimentary rock, and those shallow red soils are scattered with rocky debris that allow good drainage and limit the vine growth and yield. Such diversity requires careful hand work, and the vineyard is divided into multiple small plots. Yet they all contribute to the complexity o fthe wines grown on the estate.
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.
Above the town of St. Helena on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains sits the Spring Mountain District.
A dynamic region, its vineyards, cut by numerous springs and streams, vary in elevation, slope and aspect. Soils differ throughout with over 20 distinct types inside of the 8,600 acres that define the appellation. Within that area, only about 1,000 are planted to vineyards. Predominantly farmed by small, independent producers, the region currently has just over 30 wineries.
During the growing season, late afternoon Pacific Ocean breezes reach the Spring Mountain vineyards, which sit at between 400 and 1,200 feet. Daytime temperatures during mid summer and early fall remain slightly cooler than those of the valley floor.
Spring Mountain soils—volcanic matter and sedimentary rock—create intense but balanced reds with lush and delicate tannins. The area excels with Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and in some cooler spots, Chardonnay.