Almacerro Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2019

Almacerro’s remote estate vineyard occupies a lofty spot at 1,800 feet in elevation on Howell Mountain, in an area that has been planted to vine since the late 19th Century on what was originally a Mexican land grant.  120-year-old olive trees frame the property’s sweeping views over the Napa Valley, and a sense of quiet wonder emanates from its rocky, bucolic terroir.  Mountain lions, black bears, and coyotes traverse the vineyard at dusk.  These extraordinary qualities motivated vintner Frank Scherkenbach and his family to acquire this awe-inspiring property and steward it into the next chapter of its winemaking history.  Before the Scherkenbachs, the property’s first chapter began in 1898, when Frederick Hess planted vines and established the La Jota Vineyard Company.  Despite its early success, Prohibition got the best of this iteration, and only again in the late 1970s was the land used for wine growing.  Bill & Joan Smith purchased the dormant vineyards and, while re-invigorating the La Jota brand, also became passionate advocates for the establishment of the Howell Mountain AVA.  After 30 years of producing wine on the mountain, the Smiths ushered the land into its third chapter and sold the Almacerro parcel to Frank, who assembled a preeminent team to join him on this journey.  Venerated vineyard manager Mike Wolf assists Françoise and uber-talented winemaker Matilda Scott to coax greatness from Almacerro’s volcanic soils.

The majesty of Almacerro’s land spoke not only to generations that came before but to those stewarding it now.  Ask any team member about what makes Almacerro so unique, and they will gush about the surrounding nature as if writing an ode to the terroir of this magical estate.  In their exclamations:  “He showed me the property after harvest, and the colors…oh my god, this place is gorgeous.  It’s just beautiful.” – Françoise, “The wildness of the land is what drew me to the area, bucolic and remote.” – Frank, “This estate has a natural grandeur and a wildness from the surrounding forest you can feel from the moment you arrive here.” – Lindsay (General Manager).  The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon speaks to the gravitas of this land as a benchmark Howell Mountain wine.

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, all harvested from Almacerro’s Estate Vineyard, fermented in a combination of stainless steel and French oak puncheon.  After fermentation, the wine enjoyed a long, deliberate 22-month aging in 80% new oak.  This wine is genuinely Howell Mountain, with dark and brooding aromas reminiscent of pine forest, black currents, sagebrush, and licorice.  High-toned flavors of spiced, sweet plum jam meld into notes of freshly turned soils and bay leaf, evolving with each glass swirl.  Powerful, tightly woven tannins will allow this Cabernet to age gracefully through the next decade, letting the evolution of flavors to continue.