Mountain Cabs and more at annual Napa Valley wine-tasting event.
The 2023 edition of Taste of Mount Veeder, held on August 12th at Charles Krug Winery, showcased the output of 33 wineries. As posted on Instagram and Facebook, below are ten highlights from the event.
1) and 2) The beautifully composed 2019 O’Shaughnessy Cab, whose Betty O’Shaughnessy founded Progeny Winery with her husband Paul Woolls, and the duo’s 2018 Progeny Cab’s tannins and acidity making clear why their knockout 2013 was performing so well. She’s holding a glass of Progeny’s 2019 Trinity Blanc blend of four Rhône grapes in the photo above.
3) The potent 2018 and 2019 Cabernet Sauvignons of Rolando Herrera of Mi Sueño Winery (the name means My Dream in Spanish). A farmer, grower, and winemaker, Rolando also owns a vineyard management company. He got his wine-business start in the cellar at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
4) The refined 2021 Assemblage blend (Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot) and flagship 2019 Garçon Cabernet Sauvignon of winemaker Greg Brickey and his co-proprietor, Jeff Davis, at Majuscule Wine.
5), 6), and 7) Non-Cabs like the dusky 2018 Syrah and 2019 Mondeuse of Lagier Meredith Vineyard (there was also a Zin) and the 2021 Mayacamas Vineyards Mt. Veeder Chardonnay Zoe Hankins poured (along with the winery’s famous Cabernet Sauvignon). Also, the not-yet-released 2021 Bald Mountain Vineyard Syrah from VGS Chateau Potelle, appealing for its dark fruit and dried-herb notes, and the winery’s top-tier 2019 Jean-Noel Fourmeaux Saffron Vineyard Cab-heavy blend (with 16% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot), the epitome of mountain-wine lushness.
8) The 2014 Robert Craig Mt. Veeder Cab Sauv, a library wine with power and grace.
9) The 2016 Yates Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and 2017 Sisters blend, presented by Whitney Yates, whose family’s land was established as a farm in the late 1800s. The 2019 Fontanella Family Winery Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, noteworthy for its brooding dark fruit and polished tannins, poured by Whitney’s husband, Ryan Silva.
10) The 2013 Wing Canyon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (25% Merlot), tasting, like its Progeny peer, young for its age, touted by two wry retired teachers (pic 10), one science, one art.
I cover several Mount Veeder wineries for Fodor’s Napa and Sonoma guidebook, fifth edition just out. Thanks, Sam Peters, executive director of the Mt. Veeder AVA, for the opportunity to start researching the sixth.
Pingback: STORY INDEX BY REGION – Daniel Mangin