The Mascot Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2017

A perennial favorite of ours, with a cultlike following, has returned to ACME- The Mascot. Most need no introduction to the celebrated wines of BOND, Harlan Estate, and Promontory, though many have never had an opportunity to taste them. Most also do not need to be reminded that these aren’t the kind of wines that we are able to pull the cork from the bottle on a regular basis to enjoy. Fortunately, The Mascot, is a wine that is cut from the same cloth, but more accessible, both in style and in price. And today, we are elated to share with you their much-anticipated new release of the delectable 2017 vintage.

Since its inception in 2008, The Mascot is the continuation of the Harlan family legacy. Will Harlan, Bill Harlan’s son, wanted to introduce the Harlan experience to a wider audience, and with the wine bug buzzing in his brain, he came up with a plan. He spent years alongside the Harlan winemaking team (winemaker emeritus Bob Levy and winemaker Cory Empting) as they crafted the BOND, Harlan Estate, and Promontory wines through countless, meticulous blending sessions. From these three wineries under the Harlan umbrella, the team isolates the best lots from adolescent, 5 to 12-year-old vines which are (by any definition) top-tier wines, but which ultimately will not be blended into the final wines from those estates.

 From that unbelievable source material, the team has blended another spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon of remarkable character, structure, charm, and with superb aging potential for The Mascot. A wine of more approachable luxury, the Mascot shares a unique glimpse into the evolution of their revered winegrowing estates. One of our favorite vintages to date – last year’s bottling admittedly is extremely hard to beat. The 2017 is ready to satisfy your palate with profound contentment, allowing you to relish in your choice to stash a manageable amount away for continuous enjoyment. Notes from the winery: vintage 2017 proved to be one of those seasons that tests the mettle of both the winegrowing team and the vines. The exuberance of early spring was briefly disrupted by hailstorms, followed by heat waves that bracketed the summer months, elevating ripeness in the fruit. We are particularly fortunate to have produced The Mascot from fruit brought in before wildfires began in autumn. These adversities seem to have heightened the character of the wine, which emerged from the challenges with purity and poise—a testament to the pedigree of the sites themselves. The growing season’s relative warmth is absent in the glass, replaced by freshness and a piquant tension. The nose draws forward notes of red fruit and elements—earth, warm spice, leather—often deferred to the finish. Lithesome tannins and vibrant acidity attend a crystalline structure that is finely wrought and radiantly transparent.