Vangone Estate Block D Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019

Off the beaten path describes Vangone Estate to a “T.” Nestled between Pritchard Hill and Atlas Peak, the rugged property overlooks Oakville’s red hills from a 1,000 ft. elevation.  To access the vineyards, one must drive 20 minutes south as the crow flies and then trek back through the dirt country roads of the Vaca Range to reach the gate.  Deeming them an under-the-radar brand almost seems an overstatement, with their total winery production being under 700 cases across four wines.  The property is truly a diamond in the rough with its isolation, making it an outlier of the best kind with a distinct terroir entirely. 

Diamonds take time and patience to form, so the Davidowski family (Vangone’s vintners) invested 20 years into developing the property before any vines bore fruit.  Purchased in 1993 by Ron & Karen Davidowski, the parcel spanned 108 acres and required establishing infrastructure and utilities before planting any vineyards.  In 2011, they planted 20 acres of vineyard comprised of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, with a touch of Cabernet Franc.  Winemaker Sam Kaplan and Vineyard Manager Mario Bazan work hand-in-hand to perfect the vines and extract the essence of this stellar property.  While you may not know the Vangone name, you may have tasted the grapes before, as the fruit has been sold to wineries like Frias, Memento Mori, and Pahlmeyer.

And why is it called Vangone, you ask?  When the remote property was in the early stages of development, police noticed an abandoned van on the property.  Upon further inspection, they found it jam-packed with a controlled substance that, at the time, was not yet legalized.  The owner mentioned the problem to a vineyard worker, and when he inquired about the van’s whereabouts the next day, the reply was “Vangone.”

Block D is a barrel selection of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from their highest plot on the estate at 1,150 feet.   This block is planted solely to Clone 412:  a clone prized for its small, concentrated berries, medium acidity, and higher sugar levels.  The steep incline the vines are rooted into further concentrates the grapes, translating to an intensity and depth of flavor.  Sam and Mark Davidowski (Ron & Karen’s son) selected four barrels for this inaugural 2019 Block D vintage; all four were brand new.  After fermentation, the wine aged for 30 months before bottling and release.  Sam employs words like “opulent,” “dense,” and “powerful” to describe the texture and body of Vangone’s Block D Cabernet.  First impressions on the nose burst with ripe red fruit, and playful hints of earth, spice, and cedar make each subsequent waft in the glass more intriguing.