Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Kata reveals yet another glimpse of the full potential of the Bourn Vineyard. The texture is velvety with tons of energy and vibrancy revealing delicate, fully mature tannins. The bouquet is a complex expression of blue and blackberries wrapped into lavender and Provencal herb notes with a backbone of cassis, chocolate and licorice.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
From a rocky site just next to the Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, on the outskirts of St. Helena, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard incorporates a solid chunk of Petite Sirah and was brought up in plenty of new oak. It offers a deep, powerful bouquet of blackberry and blueberry fruits as well as loads of graphite, pen inky, violets, burning embers, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, ultra-pure, multi-dimensional, and incredibly layered, it's a pure, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon that would pass undetected in a blind lineup of top wine from the Graves region of Bordeaux. It's going to evolve gracefully for 20+ years.
Rating: 96+ -
James Suckling
This is lean and bright with a solid core of blackberries, blueberries and hazelnuts. Full-bodied, foursquare and vivid. Shows the tightness and focus of the vintage. Drink now or hold.
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.
St. Helena is in the heart of the Napa Valley, nestled between Calistoga to the north and Rutherford on its southern border. On its western side, the Mayacamas Mountains guard it from the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean; to its east stand the Vaca Mountains. In conjunction, these mountain ranges serve to lock in summer daytime heat. But in the evening, cool air from the San Pablo Bay funnels up through the valley, creating very chilly nights. It isn’t uncommon for temperatures to drop 50 degrees, a shift that promotes a balance of sugar ripeness and acidity in wine grapes.
St. Helena contains a plethora of different soil types in a small area, which have been enhanced over centuries by rain runoff from both mountain ranges. Its vineyards cover a variety of terrain, spreading across the bucolic valley floor and its benchlands.
These ideal topographic and climatic growing conditions easily caught the attention of early winemaking pioneers. In fact, St. Helena is the birthplace of Napa Valley’s commercial wine industry. Dr. Crane founded his cellar in 1859, David Fulton in 1860 and Charles Krug in 1861.
Today there are no less than 400 separate vineyards planted within the 12,000 acres that make up the St. Helena appellation.
Revered most for its red wines based on Bordeaux varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, the St. Helena appellation is also a source of superior Syrah, Zinfandel and Sauvignon blanc.