Keermont Cabernet Sauvignon grows in Keermont's Cottage Lane Vineyard on the mid-slopes of the Helderberg. This vineyard is situated on the crest of a ridge (320m above sea level) so has aspects ranging from East through North to West. It is very exposed resulting in small vines with low yields. This has allowed to make a relatively fine grained Cabernet, but the clay soils translate to a wine with power, tension and fresh acidity. They blend in a couple of barrels of other varieties to add to the complexity of flavor and tannin structure.
All grapes used in producing the wines are grown on Keermont Vineyards. Most of the vineyard parcels grow on deep red clay rich soil derived from sandstone and granite and are surrounded by indigenous ‘fynbos’ vegetation. The vineyards are planted on steep mid-slopes high up in the valley between the Stellenbosch and Helderberg mountain ranges. Aspects vary from North East through North to West facing between 250 and 400 meters above sea level.
Dark ruby red in color, this is quite a serious vintage with a complex bouquet of ripe red berry fruit, cedarwood, and typical ‘fynbos’ flowers. The palate is full bodied, but gentle. Tannin structure is full and dense and coats the palate while the natural acidity keeps the ripe fruit in check. Savory notes of tomato paste and cloves add character to the bright red strawberry and cassis flavors which linger into a long, tight finish. Drink 2020 – 2035.
Review:
"Something of a crowd pleaser from Alex Starey, this is a comparatively forward cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. Supple, ripe and perfumed, it combines fynbos and dried herb aromas, fig and mulberry flavours, supple tannins and plenty of body and alcohol. 2023-29"
- Tim Atkin (South Africa 2023 Report), 91 pts
La Ronciere Selva Oscura Sparkling Extra Brut is made from 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay.
Selva Oscura was born to further complement La Ronciere’s cold-climate wine program. Only early, thin-skinned varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can ripen in the cold, rainy Araucanía Province. Grape maturity often comes with great difficulty, but the resulting wines reach the bottle with intense freshness and vibrant aromas. Planted in volcanic soils and surrounded by ancient forests, this is a place where vines have developed under adversity and grown to deliver unique wines, with inspiring character and personality.
Review:
La Spinona Sori Gepin Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
Color: Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets , spice and mature berries.
Taste: Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A Huge wine of elegant proportions that become velvety and graceful with aging.
The Beruttis bought 4 hectares in 1994 in the then relatively unknown zone of Novello which lies on the confines of Monforte and Barolo. A Sorì is an entirely south-facing vineyard. This Sori lies at 230 meters. It is named for the great grandfather that started the Barbaresco vineyards. The vines are an average of 40 years old. The first vintage was the 1996.
The Spinona is a special breed of Piedmontese hunting Dog, which the Berutti’s raise. As the legend goes, this particular dog, Baica, received her place of honor on the label for an act of great heroism. She saved the Berutti’s only son from drowning in the irrigation lake when he was a baby. The son then became a veterinarian to save the dogs and later obtained a degree in agronomy to take care of the vineyards.
Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections. Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets, spice and mature berries. Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A huge wine of elegant proportions that becomes velvety and graceful with aging.
Review:
"The 2015 Barolo Sori' Gepin needs quite a bit of air to open, but it is so expressive as that starts to happen. Dried flowers, cedar, tobacco and autumn leaves are laced together in a mid-weight, savory Barolo loaded with character. The 2015 remains nervy and taut, but that is the house style. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2020), 93 pts
Lismore Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir
Complex bouquet of crushed rose petals, wild jasmine and fresh French herbs followed by a palate full of cranberry, raspberry and a long savory finish.
The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness. 30% whole bunch fermented in large 5000 liter vats with gentle pump-overs twice a day. The process allowed for a long extraction period which lends to the fruit expression and structure of this wine. The free run wine was drained off and the fermented grapes were then pressed in a traditional wooden basket press. The wine was racked into 225, 300 and 500 liter barrels where malolactic fermentation took place and the wine was aged for 10 months. 35% new French oak was used.
Review:
"The 2018 Pinot Noir comes from Walker Bay and Kaaimansgat and includes 30% whole-bunch fruit, aged for 11 months in 25% new oak. The bouquet sports vivid red cherry and raspberry fruit that is exceptionally well defined and beautifully integrated with the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, well-judged acidity and a slightly fleshy texture. There is just the right amount of salinity here, and the finish is kept on a tight leash, allowing the detail and precision to be fully expressed. A slight sour edge on the finish keeps you coming back for another sip. Excellent and reassuringly classy. - Neal Martin" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2019), 92 pts
"Walker Bay and Elandskloof are the twin sources of 30% whole bunch-fermented Pinot from Sam O'Keefe. Juicy, floral and charming, it's a graceful, fruit forward style with some clove and tobacco spice and refreshing acidity. The finish is a little firmer than I remember. 2020-24"- Tim Atkin (South Africa 2020 Special Report), 92 pts
Long Shadows Feather Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Washington State Cabernet.
Acclaimed Napa Valley vintner Randy Dunn has a reputation for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. He brings more than four decades of winemaking experience to the Columbia Valley to produce Feather, his only wine made outside of California.
Tasting Notes: Deep crimson colored with pure and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon character. Generous aromas and flavors of dark fruits, violets, coffee and toasted herbs combine with a textured mid-palate to deliver a big, yet focused, wine with polished tannins and persistent finish.
Winemaking: Grapes were hand-harvested at the peak of ripeness, then lightly crushed and fermented in small stainless steel tanks. Once fermentation was underway, the cap was pumped over aggressively to extract color and structure. As fermentation neared completion, pump overs were handled more gently to further extract color and flavors without imparting harsh tannins. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 90% new Vicard French oak barrels (Randy's cooper of choice at Dunn Vineyards as well).
Alcohol: 14.4%
pH: 3.86
TA: 0.58 grams / 100ml
Review:
All Cabernet Sauvignon and a blend put together by Randy Dunn, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Feather is inky purple-hued and offers a brilliant nose of cassis, new leather, graphite, and truffly earth. This rich, spicy, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon has terrific purity, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a broad, layered, expansive mouthfeel that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink this remarkable Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon over the coming two decades.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
Long Shadows Sequel Syrah is made from 95% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
An intensely colored wine with spicy aromas of cassis, smoked meats and a hint of olive tapenade woven throughout layers of black currant, blueberry and a trace of licorice. Wonderfully balanced, with a broad mouth-feel and soft tannins that hold together seamlessly.
Winemaking: Syrah’s delicate skin requires gentle handling during fermentation to extract richness without imparting bitter tannins, so winemaker John Duval uses a variety of techniques to produce a wide spectrum of flavors. A portion of the grapes were fermented using an Australian method known as “rack and return” that requires draining the tank twice daily and gently putting the juice back over the top of the skins. Whole-cluster fermentation was also used to enhance richness and dimension on the palate. Lastly, some of the lots underwent submerged cap fermentation to add structure and enhance the mouthfeel of the finished wine. Aged 18 months in 100% French oak barrels, 65% new.
Review:
Loads of black fruits, smoked game, liquid violets, and cracked pepper notes emerge from the 2018 Syrah Sequel, which has gorgeous Syrah wildness and gaminess, full-bodied richness, a pure, elegant, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Count me impressed. You could safely put this up with the best Syrah coming out of Washington and California.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
Luigi Baudana Barolo Cerretta is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
Austere and very mineral expression of Barolo. Aromas of dark cherries and raspberries jump out vividly from the glass. Hints of iron, menthol, new leather add to the depth and intrigue of this wine. Refined and polished, Cerretta has an extra layer of tannins, important structure and a lively acidity which are nearly buried by its exquisitely lush fruit.
The 2018 Barolo Cerretta offers good focus with a sharp and linear style that gives way to forest berry, wild rose, rusty nail and crushed stone. The wine is extremely direct, and that's what sets it apart. In that sense, this wine is faithful to the characteristics of Serralunga d'Alba. The soils of Cerretta see a layer of white marl on the surface and red clay further down; that's where those rusty sensations must come from. Best After 2024
-Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94 Points
Luis Canas Reserva Seleccion de la Familia Rioja is made from 85% Tempranillo and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aged for 20 months in new oak barrels - 50% French 50% American.
45 years old vines
Alcohol: 14,5º
Total acidity: 5,73 g./l.
Volatile acidity: 0,73 g./l.
PH: 3,53
Free SO2: 28 mg./l.
Reducing sugars: 1,3 g./l.
The “family reserve” from one of Rioja Alavesa’s most enduring family-run wineries. Wines destined to be the Reserva de la Familia label are made from a selection of grapes from old vines, those which combine a series of characteristics such as good orientation and exposure to the sun, and a poor soil which ensures low yields.
This wine is one of very few Rioja wines to blend Cabernet Sauvignon with Tempranillo. Bodegas Luis Cañas was granted permission by the D.O.Ca. to plant this variety as an experiment in the early 1980s.
Tasting notes
A brilliant garnet color with cherry hints on the edges.
The nose offers a complex variety of aromas that combine to bring an intense and sophisticated wine. Initially we can find very ripe berry fruits, smoky notes, raisins and liquor. After a certain amount of aeration, the cinnamon and jam notes appear and, with a little more time, the roasted and spiced aromas are noticed more clearly.
The palate is full, with a good presence of tannins, although these are offset by the glycerine like character, resulting in a fleshy sensation. Long lasting and lingering finish.
Winemaking and aging:
The grapes were cold macerated for 72 hours upon arrival at the winery. They underwent fermentation at 26º C in sealed cement tanks under constant thermal control, with the must pumped over daily. With the paste devatted by gravity, spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place after 45 days.
The wine was aged for 20 months in 50% medium toasted American and 50% French oak barrels. The barrel ageing not only adds tannins from the wood, but stabilizes the wine naturally. After the final racking, it was clarified in tanks with a small amount of natural egg white, decanted after 30 days and bottled directly without any type of filtration. Because this wine’s evolutionary cycle is quite slow, only corks of the highest quality available were used to ensure that it could be prolonged for several years.
Maggy Hawk Unforgettable Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
HARVEST NOTES
All plants require water to grow, and grapevines are no exception. The 2021 growing season was our driest yet. The Maggy Hawk vineyard relies on rainfall in the winter and spring to fill our vineyard ponds to irrigate our vines during the summer months. These ponds ran dry a few weeks before harvest began. Fortunately, the grapes made it across the finish line without being affected by the drought. We typically harvest over 2-3 weeks. In 2021, everything was ready at once, and we harvested in just one and a half weeks. The clusters had a shorter ripening period and were harvested on the earlier side, which produced wines with intense hues, great acidity, and concentrated aromas and flavors.
WINEMAKING
Our 2021 Unforgettable Pinot Noir is crafted from a unique selection of five blocks and three clones from all corners of the Maggy Hawk vineyard. Upon arriving at the winery, we separate the individual blocks and allow the grapes to cold soak for 5 days before raising the temperature and beginning fermentation. The fruit is then pressed very gently, and the free run is kept separate from the harder pressing and racked down to barrels. The wine is allowed to go through malolactic fermentation on its own before being left to age in 30% new French oak barrels for 17 months. Finished unfined and unfitered.
Freshness, power and persistence. Unforgettable delivers a pronounced mix of fresh black cherry and red plum balanced by hints of dried lavender, bay leaf, anise and potting soil notes. A perfect balance of structured and juicy with smooth, rounded edges on the palate due to integrated tannin.
Review:
This wine is opulent, with aromas of Black cherry, red currant compote, cinnamon spice, and fresh florals on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Bing cherry, blackcurrant confiture, vanilla lime cream interwoven with dried herbs, bittersweet chocolate, earth and a long silky finish. Hold or Drink until 2032 Pair with Lamb Shoulder — Tonya Pitts
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
The 2021 Pinot Noir Unforgettable boasts a deeper red/ruby color and was aged in 38% new French oak. There’s more 667 clone in this blend, which reveals a darker profile in the glass, with red and black-fruited notes of black raspberries, brambly herbs, forest floor, and cedar. Medium-bodied, it has a broader shouldered feel, with lovely structure throughout and a lovely, ripe finish. It’s going to drink well over the coming 10 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Maipe Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 years old vines.
Maipe was the Lord of the Winds for the ancient Andean Indians. He is still called upon to clear the skies after heavy rain, or to temper the summer heat.
This Cabernet Sauvignon has an intense ruby red color with aromas and flavors of ripe blackcurrant, red pepper, mint, chocolate and vanilla hints.
35 years old vines. 14 day fermentation with selected yeasts at 26-28°C; 5 days post fermentative maceration; 1 day delestage; malolactic fermentation.
The fruit and tannins are perfectly balanced to give a wine of excellent structure making it ideal for grilled meats, game, pasta or pizza.
Maipe Chardonnay 2013 is made from 85% Chardonnay, 15% Viognier.
Manual harvest.
5 hour maceration on skins in temperature controlled steel vats; fermentation with selected yeasts at 14°-16°C; 30% malolactic fermentation.
30% was aged in French oak barrels.
Brilliant yellow golden color with green hints.
The wine is crisp and filled with white peach, pear, green apples flavors, toasty vanilla. Elegant and luscious wine, well balanced. Crisp and long finish.
Pairs well with creamy soups, pork, veal, vegetables.
Mandolin Merlot is made from 100 percent Merlot.
With its maritime influence, California's Central Coast region has an extended growing season that yields wines with full flavor development and great acid balance. Mandolin Merlot features ripe cherry fruit complemented by hints of spice and vanilla from nicely integrated oak.
Thomas Sancerre Rose is made from 100% Pinot Noir.
Vines are 20-55 years old.
Terroir (soil type) is a blend of "Caillottes" and "Terre Blanche".
Everything is machine harvested (which means it is 100% destemmed).
50% Direct press + 50% Saignée (bled) with 12-24 hours of skin contact maceration.
The alcoholic fermentation is done in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
Right before bottling, the wine is fined with Bentonite (very light filtration with oenologic clay).
Tasting Notes:
Light, bright pink. Redcurrant, strawberry and chalk on the nose, with a touch of singed orange gaining strength with air. Dusty red fruit and citrus flavors are braced by tangy minerality, which adds lift and cut. Uncompromising in the best way, finishing with excellent clarity and echoes of lemon and orange zest.
Food pairings:
This is a very versatile wine. You can have it on its own in the summer time as an apéritif. But it is also excellent with Hors d'Oeuvres and terrines. It will compliment any white meat dish and poultry. You can also enjoy it with salmon or exotic food (slightly spicy sushi).
Thomas Sancerre Rose is made from 100% Pinot Noir.
Vines are 20-55 years old.
Terroir (soil type) is a blend of "Caillottes" and "Terre Blanche".
Everything is machine harvested (which means it is 100% destemmed).
50% Direct press + 50% Saignée (bled) with 12-24 hours of skin contact maceration.
The alcoholic fermentation is done in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
Right before bottling, the wine is fined with Bentonite (very light filtration with oenologic clay).
Tasting Notes:
Light, bright pink. Redcurrant, strawberry and chalk on the nose, with a touch of singed orange gaining strength with air. Dusty red fruit and citrus flavors are braced by tangy minerality, which adds lift and cut. Uncompromising in the best way, finishing with excellent clarity and echoes of lemon and orange zest.
Food pairings:
This is a very versatile wine. You can have it on its own in the summer time as an apéritif. But it is also excellent with Hors d'Oeuvres and terrines. It will compliment any white meat dish and poultry. You can also enjoy it with salmon or exotic food (slightly spicy sushi).
Napa Bench Cabernet Sauvigon Napa Valley is made from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot.
The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.
The Bench lands of Napa Valley are where we find Cabernet Sauvignon with Power and Strength. Elegant and supple tannins complete the structure. Bench lands are the geological middle ground that connect the Valley Floor with the Mountain rises, perfectly drained soils!
NAPA BENCH Cabernet Sauvignon is a sophisticated blend of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We start with Cabernet Sauvignon 95%, blend Merlot 3%, and finish with Petite Verdot 2%. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.
Tasting Notes
NAPA BENCH is rich and flavorful. Red and dark fruits are apparent in the nose with Plum, Currant and Blackberry tones. The aroma is layered and shows the power of Cabernet and of oak nuance. The pallet is fine grained tannin, long and refined with a high degree of Deliciosity! The finish lingers and invites a second glass. Share with your favorite friends, and always with your hottest date.
Palacio del Burgo Crianza is made from 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano
Palacio de Burgo's Crianza blends the concept of the intense fruity young wines traditionally made in Rioja and the old world wine making style that has made the region famous. The result is a complex wine that impresses for its intensity right from the moment it is poured in the glass.-Mike Good, Timeless Wines
Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature; aged in American oak barrels for 12 months.
Red ruby colored wine with violet tones; well-balanced, black fruit, vanilla and coconut flavors. Powerful, complex and silky smooth…classic old style Rioja at a bargain price.
Pairs well with aged cheeses and grilled meats
(aged for a year in new and used American oak barrels) Brilliant violet color. Fragrant, oak-spiced dark berries, cherry preserves and a hint of candied flowers on the nose. Blends depth and energy smoothly, offering ripe boysenberry, cherry-cola and coconut flavors and a touch of smokiness. Closes spicy, broad and long, with smooth tannins and lingering florality. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (February 2019), 90 pts
You would be happy to open this, even if oak dominates the nose. It's a lovely wine with cassis and bramble and a long, smoky finish."
- 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards, 90 pts, SILVER MEDAL
Palacio del Burgo Crianza is made from 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano
Palacio de Burgo's Crianza blends the concept of the intense fruity young wines traditionally made in Rioja and the old world wine making style that has made the region famous. The result is a complex wine that impresses for its intensity right from the moment it is poured in the glass.-Mike Good, Timeless Wines
Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature; aged in American oak barrels for 12 months.
Red ruby colored wine with violet tones; well-balanced, black fruit, vanilla and coconut flavors. Powerful, complex and silky smooth…classic old style Rioja at a bargain price.
Pairs well with aged cheeses and grilled meats
Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
20 months in French oak (only about a third of that is new oak) and for 20 more months in bottle before release
Our winemaking "style" is solely determined by this place or terrior we call "Paradigm." Winemaking is agriculture when you own your vineyards and are able to farm them to promote the very best Earth will give you. All of our selections of wines are made from five varietals on the estate. Every wine is 100% farmed and grown by us.
Complexity in our wines supported by luscious fruit and acidity is our hallmark. Our efforts during harvest and barrel cellaring concentrate on maintaining the freshness from the first day we handpicked each vineyard block. Simple winemaking protocols are employed while crucial “timing” oriented winemaking decisions rule each day.
Dark Cabernet color with beautiful aromas of black cherry, cassis, plus 5-spice, vanilla. Big, ripe and mouthcoating across the palate. The flavors are similar to the aromas with ripe fruit, berry/cherry pie, moderate tannins, and nice length. This wine shows enough structure to be age-worth, yet soft and balanced enough to enjoy upon release. Flavors linger in this tasty, dense wine. Tastes like Oakville. -Heidi Barrett
Paul Hobbs George Menini Estate Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
A more reflective style of Pinot Noir from the Sebastopol Hills, our inaugural release presents deep ruby in hue with fresh raspberry, mountain strawberry, and baking spices. On the palate, notes of blue fruits, sandstone, and vanilla caress the palate, framed by supple tannins and juicy acidity creating tension. This is a bright and focused wine with a long, elegant finish.
Review:
This is so spicy, with crushed cloves, nettles and blue fruit. Sichuan spices, too. Full-bodied with juicy fruit and orange zest. Creamy and polished tannins. Wonderful depth and length. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 97 Points
Pioneiro Red Wine Vinho Regional Peninsula de Setubal is made from 60% Castelao (also known as Periquita), 30% Aragones and 10% Syrah
Aged 5 months in French oak barrels
The story of this wines begun more than a century ago, with the pioneering dream of Venâncio da Costa Lima: to bring good wines to every corner of Portugal. Pioneiro wine brand was created to pay homage to his vision.
What's Unique? Pioneiro (meaning “pioneer” in Portuguese) wine vintage style label pay homage to the founder’s dream, dating back to 1914. But in a relaxed, casual way, typical of this wine producer mood.
Intense garnet color, complex nose with touches of ripe fruit, jam and spices, full-bodied flavor and a very balanced finish.
Castelao: as the most widely-grown red grape variety in Portugal it is still often referred to in Portuguese as "Periquita" or "Joao de Santarem", although that name is legally owned by José Maria da Fonseca in the Setúbal Peninsula outside of Lisbon. It is highly adaptable to different climatic conditions and its remarkable versatility enables winemakers to make a range of wines – from the easy drinking and quaffable reds and rosados to the powerful and intense reds perfectly suited to lengthy cellaring. Castelão comes into its own and is most expressive in the Sétubal Peninsula, where it makes meaty and intense wines with aromas of red berries and blue flowers that marry well with the deft use of oak.
Made from 15 year old vines planted on sandy soils.
Classic vinification at controlled temperature (25 °C) with prolonged maceration for phenolic extraction. Wine went through malolactic fermentation.
It was aged 5 months in French Oak barrels.
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling to avoid sedimentation in the bottle and to ensure stability.
Pasta, Cheese, red meat and game.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
K Vintners The Creator Red is made from 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Syrah.
Absolutely Cabernet Sauvignon in style but co-fermented with Syrah to give seamless balance. Black currant, cedar box, fresh tobacco, and pencil lead. So much finesse and length. Blackberry, fire ash, and a mineral palate.
Review:
Another wine that was just bottled, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah The Creator is based on 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Syrah. This puppy boasts a ruby/plum hue as well as terrific aromatics of blackcurrants, tobacco, iron, and peppery herbs. It's medium to full-bodied, has good freshness, ripe tannins, and the straight, focused, elegant yet still concentrated style of the vintage front and center.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Mascot is a small-production label founded by Will Harlan in Napa Valley. The wines under this label are made from the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory, but The Mascot bottles share an exclusive preview at the development of their estates. Founded as an initial experiment to see what the young vines were capable of producing, the wines were initially only shared with close friends and family. By 2008, Will officially released the first vintage to the public since production had increased significantly. They create just one wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and the bottle is aged for five years before release. Assembled into a single, youthful expression, this wine shares a glimpse into the evolution and pedigree of its parent estates.
Tasting Notes:
A mild winter with scant rainfall introduced the 2020 growing season. Conditions remained pleasantly even-keeled throughout the spring, except for some light precipitation in March. It is worth noting that decades of research and steady viticultural progress have enabled our vines to begin achieving tannin and textural ripeness earlier in the season, and this fact—along with the drought conditions experienced in preceding years—led to one of the earliest picking windows in our history. This development proved crucial to the 2020 vintage, when we were fortunate to have fully completed our harvest before the Glass Fire began in late September. A vibrant purity manifests within this vintage’s generosity, which advances without excess of weight or volume. Aromas of gentle red fruit give way, eventually, to a savory darkness and finely wrought core. An effortless, structural tension transforms into a silky softness on the palate that envelopes The Mascot’s inner depth and dimension. The 2020 vintage resonates rather than roars: its intricate threads of tannin, acidity, and nuance interweave to form a complete expression that shimmers with sensory detail.