Greer Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2019

Rob and Cyd Greer knew little of the magic of Rutherford wines when they sought out a property for weekend respite from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco in 1980. At the time, they described themselves as "fun" wine drinkers, not "fine" wine drinkers. Their property included a small bungalow built in the 1920s, a historic barn/homestead from the early 1900s, and two acres of Petite Sirah. Slowly and surely, they made the property a home away from home and replaced the Petite Sirah vines with Cabernet Sauvignon. Little did they know, as they sold the fruit to wineries in the valley to break even on the vineyard, that their tiny piece of paradise was among soon-to-be cult producers like Scarecrow, Bella Oaks, and Staglin. It wasn't until winemaker Aaron Pott (who'd been purchasing from the Greers) pointed out that their fruit was far too special to be sold off and had the potential to make exceptional wines. And so, Rob and Cyd created Greer Wine, knighting Aaron to run the production with the sole objective to "create an elegant, impeccably balanced wine structured to age as well as any fine Bordeaux."

Napa Valley Cab connoisseurs love Rutherford for producing aromatically ripe wines with predominant fruit profiles and finely grained tannins. Located centrally at the broadest part of Napa Valley, grapes growing in Rutherford benefit from many days of sunlight and shorter amounts of respite from the afternoon sun under the shadows of Mayacamas. While the constant sunshine develops those robust aromas, the deep, gravelly soils aid in evolving the "dusty" tannins synonymous with the area. The Greers re-planted their two acres in 2005 and added a third acre in 2011, all planted to Cabernet Sauvignon across three clones. Their vineyard managers, Ilsey Vineyard Management, use sustainable practices to promote the overall well-being of the vineyard's ecosystem.

From day one, the Greers have crafted only one wine with their 100% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2019, rain was abundant in February, but the skies cleared in spring, allowing plenty of sunlight to set the stage for bountiful and even fruit sets. The relatively mild summer was followed by nearly perfect fall temperatures, allowing the fruit to develop a lovely complexity of flavors. Aaron selected the four cooperages of Taransaud, Bossuet, Sylvain, and Darnajou, for the 19-month aging period. 60% of the barrels were brand new, and 40% were used only once before Greer. Jeb Dunnuck rated the vintage at 99 points and highlighted that 2019 has "loads of pure Napa magic in its notes of crème de cassis, toasted spice, smoked tobacco, and cedar pencil. Full-bodied, opulent, and loaded with fruit, it still stays pure, precise, and focused, with ripe tannins, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and one incredible finish."