Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Always a pure, classic, impeccably made wine, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is no exception and offers textbook aromatics of cassis and assorted dark fruits as well as subtle chocolate, cedary herbs, and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, wonderfully balanced, and with a great finish, it’s well worth your time and money. It will have 10-15 years of prime drinking.
Keever Vineyards happens to always tell a great story through their wines. Started in 1999, this small family owned and operated winery is located in the rocky hills of Napa Valley just southwest of Yountville. They farm a 6.5 acre vineyard planted to four clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc. Their wines are handcrafted by one of California’s top winemakers Celia Welch of Scarecrow, Corra & Buccella fame. Made in very small quantities, their wines are collectable, age-worthy, and stunningly unique.
“Wine is more than our business. We live every day among the vines and barrels, guarding them with care and love. Our stewardship of our land and our wines, our dedication to this craft and our family, result in wines that perfectly express both the seasons past and the dreams to come." -The Keever Family
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.
One of Napa Valley's most historic sub-appellations, Yountville spreads through some of the valley's ideal cooler sites and enjoys success with a handful of different and significant grape varieties.
Syrah competes strongly with Cabernet Sauvignon here for optimal vineyard real estate followed by Pinot noir, Pinot blanc and Sauvignon blanc.
This sub-AVA of Napa Valley is rich in the history that makes Napa Valley what it is today, and not just for red wines. Moët & Chandon entered the California winemaking business via Yountville in 1973 with the establishment Domaine Chandon. Their goal has always been to produce top quality méthode champenoise sparkling wines.
Christian Moueix, originally responsible for managing Chateau Petrus and La Fleur-Petrus in Pomerol, arrived in Yountville in the early 1980s. He formed a partnership with Rohin Lail and Marcia Smith, inheritors of Napanook vineyard from their father John Daniel of Inglenook in Rutherford. In 1995 Moueix became sole owner of Napanook and chose the name Dominus, which today produces some of Napa’s highest scoring, age-worthy Bordeaux Blends.