So many delicious Mt. Veeder wines!

This past Saturday was the 14^th Annual Mt. Veeder Appellation tasting at The Hess Collection in Napa. Surprisingly, it was also the first rainfall of the season. Despite a little wetness, about thirty wineries poured their Mt. Veeder-grown wines and there was a great consumer turn out!

At the last Mt. Veeder Appellation tasting that I attended in April I enjoyed some fantastic wines, but there were many new wines for me to try on Saturday. I was particularly impressed with the 2007 Renteria Tambor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($50/bottle; renteriawines.com). The 2005 and the 2008 vintages were also very good and it was great to compare the three distinct bottlings, but the 2007 really stood out. This single-vineyard Cab is luscious and provocative with a medium-plus weight. The palate is very fruit-forward with rich, ripe flavors of boysenberry, black cherry and blueberry. It ends with a long, lingering finish of juicy red fruits with a kiss of oak spice. Blended with 3% Syrah, there were only 220 cases produced!

The 2010 Rubissow Mt. Veeder Merlot ($38/bottle, rubissowwines.com) was also very impressive. One-hundred percent Merlot, this recent release offers the hallmark super-smooth tannins of this variety with the depth and concentration expected from a mountain-grown wine. It is full-bodied and lush with forward flavors of mocha, sweet black plum and ripe raspberry. This Merlot spent 20 months in 35% new French oak barrels and will age well, but it is incredibly drinkable now; 289 barrels made. I am also a big fan of the Rubissow Trompettes, a Bordeaux-blend of predominantly Cab Franc. Contact the winery directly for purchase info.

The 2009 Mount Veeder Winery Elevation 1550 Cabernet Sauvignon ($60/bottle; mtveeder.com) was another amazing quaff. The fruit for this particular bottling is sourced from estate vineyards that average at 1550 feet elevation. Powerful yet refined, this limited offering has flavors of crushed dark berries and spice with velvety tannins.

According to the Mayacamas website, the 2008 Maycamas Cabernet Sauvignon has yet to be released, but this is definitely the vintage that I tasted at the event (I have the picture to prove it!). The assistant winemaker was present to explain the lengthy and unique aging process, which begins with fermentation in concrete. Before bottling, the wine spends up to eighteen months in large American (neutral) oak casks and at least one year in French oak barrels, only 10% of which were new. This barrel regimen keeps the tannins restrained and produces a wine medium in body (especially compared to other mountain-grown Napa Valley Cabernets). But what it lacks in weight, it makes up for in complexity and approachability. The 2008 Cab offers cassis, blueberry and blackberry complemented with savory and spice notes. Find more info about this upcoming release at mayacamas.com.

Our last stop in the lovely outdoor courtyard where the tasting was held was the Hess Collection table. The 2012 Small Block Series Albariño was an absolute stunner ($28/bottle.com; hesscollection.com)! It has aromas of tropical fruit and a palate bursting with white peach, pear, citrus, minerals, slate and zippy acidity. Bright and balanced, this round and complex white wine would be incredible with shellfish and salads. When I opened a bottle on Sunday night, I learned it's a great wine for Mexican fare too. And it's pretty darn tasty on it’s own. The 2009 19 Block Cuvée ($40/bottle) and 2010 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon ($55/bottle) were spectacular. See more notes on these wines in my previous Mt. Veeder blog post. I also enjoyed tasting the 2010 Hess Allomi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($30/bottle) in the tasting room.

If you’ve never been to the Hess Collection Winery, I strongly recommend a visit. This secluded property features an historic stone winery constructed in 1903, a contemporary art collection, and a broad portfolio of wines available for tasting. A special thank you to the winery for hosting the tasting. What a great experience!

Notes from the Mount Veeder Spring Tasting

Set at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio, with a beautiful backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge on a crystal-clear afternoon, the Mount Veeder AVA Spring Tasting was a very civilized event. I appreciated the small, intimate nature of the venue (compared to the overwhelming vastness of Fort Mason). It wasn’t crowded and most of the winery representatives were the owners and winemakers (which is not usually the case at some of the bigger tastings).

 

Mount Veeder Summit

 Most of the producers at this event were teeny-tiny, some only produce a few hundred cases, many of which were new to my taste buds.  I was impressed by almost everything I tried. What can I say…I’ve always been a fan of mountain fruit.

I started in one corner of the room with Chateau Potelle. I really enjoyed the 2009 Illegitimate ($37) from the Explorer collection. A crazy blend of 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 17% Zinfandel, and 11% Syrah, this wine is aromatic and full-bodied with bright fruit flavors and terrific food pairing potential. I can’t wait to check out their new tasting room in St. Helena!

I really enjoyed the two selections from Hess Collection. The 2009 19 Block Cuvee ($38) is a blend of mostly Cabernet (63%) and Malbec (20%) with a little Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Verdot. It is plush and powerful with velvety tannins and delicious dark berry notes. Although I can see how the 2009 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon ($55)—82% Cab, 14% Malbec, 2% Merlot, 2% PV—could be cellared for many years to come, it’s already very approachable with all the ripe red fruit and concentration I expect from a mountain-grown wine. Both of these wines will only get better with time.

I was also charmed by the 2009 Y Rousseau Cabernet Sauvignon “Le Roi Soleil” ($65). This is a small producer that has recently doubled its production. Yannick Rousseau, founder and winemaker, also makes Russian River Valley Tannat, Mount Veeder Chardonnay, Sonoma Cab, and Colombard. The new tasting room will open in Napa soon. Check out their website for more info.

If you’re a Cab Franc fan like me, you’ll love the 2009 Yates Cheval ($48)! Delicious and dark and 100% Cab Franc, this beauty offers black cherry, plum, and spice. The Yates Family Vineyard is a family affair—Michael and Lynn Yates own the vineyards and the winery is staffed by their daughters Whitney (assistant winemaker) and Mary (CFO) and son-in-law Todd (sales and marketing). They also produce Merlot, Cab, and the super tasty Cab/Merlot/Cab Franc blend, the 2009 Alden Perry Reserve ($65).

Lampyridae Vineyards is another itty-bitty producer on the mountain with a well-known winemaker, Aaron Pott. The 2010 Communication Block Cabernet Sauvignon is very tasty. It’s a wine project that supports a local charity which promotes academic achievement for children who have severe communication needs. Awwww!

Wow, normally I don’t have this many wines to rave about from a single tasting, but I also have to mention the Foyt and Meadowcroft Cabernets. These delicious wines are showcased at Corner Stone in Sonoma.

 

Last but not least, the three wines (Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon) from Mt. Brave Winery are all gorgeous. The Malbec ($75) was particularly appealing; this dark-purple beauty is concentrated with raspberry and cassis flavors with a full and luxurious palate.

A special thank you to the Mount Veeder Council for putting this awesome tasting together. More info about Mount Veeder AVA wines can be found on their website. Cheers!