Pott & Daughters Lagier Meredith Vineyard Syrah Mount Veeder 2023

Aaron Pott’s story begins, improbably, in Paris — ten years old, ordering milk at lunch and being handed a glass of wine instead. Milk, the waiter informed him, was for babies. It’s the kind of origin story that feels almost too cinematic, but in Aaron’s case, it set something in motion.

Years later, after studying winemaking at UC Davis under Dr. Carole Meredith (que the foreshadowing), Aaron headed to France expecting to pull hoses in a cellar. Instead, he found himself named winemaker at Château Troplong Mondot. Six years followed — including time at Château La Tour Figeac — immersed in structure, discipline, and the architecture of great wine. When he returned home, he took on roles at Beringer Vineyards, St. Clement Vineyards, and Quintessa before launching Pott Wines and planting roots on Mount Veeder with his family estate. But this new bottling, called Pott & Daughters, feels more personal than most.

Dr. Carole Meredith wasn't just a professor. She and her husband, Steve, became friends, collaborators, and neighbors. Aaron helped plant the Lagier Meredith Vineyard decades ago. ATV rides down fire roads. Pizza nights. Ping pong. Vineyard debates. The deep friendship that grew created an incredibly unique opportunity for Aaron. In 2022, when Steve and Carole decided to step back from active winemaking, they entrusted the vineyard to Aaron and Claire. Some vineyards are acquired; this one was inherited through friendship. In tandem with the vineyard acquisition, Aaron welcomed his two daughters' help. Both still quite young in their careers, he saw this as an opportunity to train their senses among vines that he himself had helped plant so long ago.

Perched at 1,300 feet in the Mayacamas, the 4.5-acre site is defined by fractured shale and sandstone — soils that don’t coddle vines. Yields are low, and exposure is high. The fruit comes in with natural tension, featuring a blend that is classic Northern Rhône in spirit: 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier.  In the glass, it is dark and coiled. Aromas of black fig, crushed stone, and cocoa powder rise first, followed by savory undertones — olive tapenade, iron, and a whisper of smoked herbs. On the palate, the wine is structured and vertical. Dark berry and plum notes are threaded with salinity and mineral drive. The tannins are firm, but not blunt. There’s a cool-climate lift that carries through the finish, leaving an impression of graphite and stone. This is Mount Veeder Syrah in its truest register: powerful, savory, and built to evolve over the next decade. Mount Veeder gives it that structure. But friendship gives it soul.