2022 Spottswoode Estate - Cabernet Sauvignon (750ml)

Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery sits on the western edge of St. Helena, where vines were first planted in 1882. The Novak family has stewarded the property since 1972, and after Jack Novak's death in 1977, Mary Novak carried on farming and released the first Estate Cabernet Sauvignon in 1982. Her daughters, Beth and Lindy, now lead the estate, which has been organically farmed since 1985.

The 2022 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon comes primarily from the home vineyard, planted on alluvial clay loam from the Sulphur Creek fan, which drains superbly, while cool breezes moving between Spring Mountain and the Mayacamas range encourage even ripening. The blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. It was aged 20 months in oak barrels, 62% new and mostly French, and finished at 13.7% alcohol.

In the glass, the wine shows cassis, blackberry, and plum, with violets, graphite, and cedar adding lift and a lingering mineral, iron-like finish. The palate is plush yet fresh, with silky, fine-grained tannins and a long, mouthwatering close. Approachable in its youth, it also has the structure to reward cellaring for a decade or more.