Mt. Brave Malbec 2008
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Made from 100% Malbec sourced from Mount Veeder at the old Chateau Potelle vineyard, this is arguably one of the best Malbecs from California ever. It's dark in color, dense in texture and full bodied, offering bone-dry blackberry flavors that are wrapped with hard tannins. Nowhere near ready to drink now, although consuming it with a steak will help mellow it. Hold until 2015, at least.
Other Vintages
2019-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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Robert
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Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Robert
Parker
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Tasting
Panel -
Robert
Parker
Mt. Brave is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of those who settled the rugged terrain of Mt. Veeder during the 1800s and an homage to the Wappo Indians, "the brave ones," who were the original inhabitants of this extraordinary place. The Mt. Brave Vineyard, once the Chateau Potelle Vineyard, was established decades ago at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 1,800 feet. While Mt. Veeder is cool, Mt. Brave sits above the fog line, with morning sun warming the grapes each day. Soils are a sparse, gravelly loam. Nutrients and minerals are scant, resulting in tiny berries with concentrated and complex flavors. At harvest, small lug boxes must be carefully moved up and down the steep slopes to protect both vines and vineyard workers.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.