Winemaker Notes
#14 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022
Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet is a very age worthy Margaux-type blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Cabernet franc and Petit Verdot.
Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I have always found the Philip Togni wines inspiring, and the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is on target. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of red and blackcurrants, a hint of chalkiness and minerality. It is concentrated yet not over-the-top. Serve it with a well-aged cheddar and enjoy a conversation with a friend. (Tasted: September 6, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
This is very much alive, sporting a wide array of sweet bay leaf, savory and menthol notes, along with zesty raspberry, red currant and blackberry fruit flavors. Built on acidity as much as grippy, tar-laced tannins, this leaves a mouthwatering feel on the long finish. A beautiful version of the throwback style. Best from 2025
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a classic Togni wine, meant to be laid down for at least a decade and capable of aging well for 20 years beyond that in a cool cellar. Hints of green olive and thyme add savory nuance to the raspberry and cassis shadings on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is concentrated into a dense, streamlined shape that throws off waves of dusty tannins, buffered by hints of cedar and vanilla, with lingering cassis notes on the finish.
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.