Winemaker Notes
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is going to be one of the Legendary Mayacamas, although a more modern-day version. Sporting a vivid ruby, mostly opaque hue as well as sensational aromatics of crème de cassis, ripe cherries, graphite, crayon, and cedar pencils, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, flawless overall balance, ultra-fine, ripe, perfect tannins, and a great finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. The balance, purity, and elegance paired with the subtle, inward richness and power is something. I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it was never short of spectacular, with its structure and tannins becoming more evident with air. It's far from the tannic beast that some vintages from this higher elevation terroir on Mount Veeder can be, and it clearly offers immense pleasure even today. Yet, it probably won't hit true prime time for another decade, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this be a 50- to 60-year wine. Bravo. Drink 2030-2080.
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Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is fabulous. It's vivid and super-classic to the core, offering up an exotic mélange of dark fruit, espresso, dried herbs, iron, forest floor and incense. The 2021 is a quintessential mountain wine from Mt. Veeder, but there's just enough polish to wrap it all together while avoiding any sense of rusticity.
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Wine Spectator
Hints of sweet bay leaf and chaparral offer an alluring lead in, while the core mixes red and black currant and cherry compote notes with tobacco leaf and cast iron, backed by a piercing sanguine hint. The fruit cuts a seriously sharp groove through the long, tannin- and acid-driven finish. Should age at a glacial pace.
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.
Centered at the peak for which it is named, Mount Veeder is Napa’s largest sub-AVA. But even though the entire appellation spreads over 16,000 acres, vineyards cover a mere 1,000. Scattered among Douglas firs and bristlecone pines, Mount Veeder vineyards extend south from the upper elevations of the Mayacamas Mountains—the highest point at 2,400 feet—to the border of the Carneros region. Less than 25 wineries produce wine from Mount Veeder fruit.
Winemaking began early in this appellation. In 1864, Captain Stelham Wing presented the first Mount Veeder wine to the Napa County Fair; it came from today’s Wing Canyon Vineyard. Prohibition, of course, halted winemaking and viticulture wasn’t revitalized until the founding of Mayacamas Vineyards in 1951 and Bernstein Vineyards in 1964.
The Bernstein Vineyards was actually home to the first Petit Verdot in California, planted in 1975. Today most of the Petit Verdot in Napa Valley originates from this vineyard.
Rocky volcanic clay and ancient seabed matter dominate Mount Veeder soils—perfect for Bordeaux varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot enjoy spectacular success. These varieties produce wines rich in brambly blackberry and black cherry fruit with herbal and floral aromatics. Structures are moderate to assertive and wines have great staying power.
Chardonnay from Mount Veeder is lush, full and balanced mineral and fresh citrus flavors.