We are delighted to present an exclusive offering of our highly anticipated 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder. Crafted from exceptional vineyard sites, this vintage promises to be a remarkable expression of elegance and character. Available by pre-order at US$240 per 6-bottle case (excluding sales tax and freight), this limited release offers our valued clients the opportunity to secure their allocation ahead of its official debut.

WINEMAKING:

Whole-berry destemmed, combining together all four grapes for co-fermentation within a single temperature-controlled tank.  Aerative pump-overs given to stimulate yeast and promote a healthy fermentation.  Rich color extraction was achieved within a week’s time. During peak fermentation, temperature was increased to enhance tannin extraction to combine with anthocyanin pigment and stabilize color. Pressing by taste, with extended maceration reaching a month, we used a gentle membrane press and collected fractions as pressure increased.  The best fraction was added to the free-run and wine held in tank to initiate malolactic fermentation.  We sent wine to barrel to rest on its gross lees and finish malolactic. New American and French oak barrels were filled.  Our first racking done in early February, was a clean decanting and recombined barrels.  It has since finished malolactic and making great progress towards aging and obtaining some lovely oak flavors from the new barrels.

Eric and Shun know this vineyard well, having first worked with the grapes in 2018-2019, and again in 2021-2022.  Mount Veeder is a unique mountain appellation that straddles both Napa and Sonoma counties. This vineyard is east facing, towards Oakville in Napa Valley below it.  The vineyard is surrounded by a heavily wooded forest of pine, madrone, and oak trees. That has a moderating effect on temperatures. The eastern-facing aspect offers the vines shading from the hot afternoon sun that dips below the summit of Mt. Veeder.  This vineyard’s unique topography is matched to an equally impressive geology of an ancient volcanic upheaval that has eroded over the last several million years.   As Shun and I have known, this vineyard makes some of the most exciting wine that showcases the fine characteristics of Mount Veeder’s special terroir. With our disciplined winemaking philosophy, we have carefully transformed these wonderful grapes into an excellent Bordeaux blend.  Our love of american oak and now french (thanks to our time working in Napa Valley) we have included both in cellaring this wine.  The delightful synergy of both oaks has enhanced aroma and texture in a way that feels magical.  This excellent wine will continue aging in barrel for another fifteen months and be bottled in late spring of 2026.  We anticipate a Fall 2026 release.

This 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder can be secured via a customer deposit for an order, known as En Primeur.  This mode of wine commerce is what Bordeaux, France relies upon annually to pre-sell their new vintages that are only a few months old, resting in barrel.  Generally, merchants visit the Chateaux in springtime, taste the wines to assess the quality of the vintage. It is one of the most exciting times to visit Bordeaux, as Eric was able to do in 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2013, during his tenure as Ridge Vineyards- Monte Bello Winemaker.  It takes significant knowledge to taste such young wines and predict their quality, drinkability and collectability.  The fame of a vintage has now become more influenced by wine reviewers.  Until scores are published, the Chateaux withhold assigning prices to their offerings.  However, the weather of a growing season can also influence opinions and pricing can be swayed by weather comparisons made to prior vintages.  Given how significant a successful En Primeur campaign is for a chateau’s bottom-line, there is considerable pressure on winemaking and marketing to produce voluptuous wine and storyline.  The key to navigating this unique market is to know your producer, skill of winemaker, and fame of vineyard. In a tough vintage, a careful winemaker will always succeed in making the very best quality by assembling the wine through rigorous tastings.  A less than careful winery, where financial motivations are stronger than quality, will see variable quality vintage-to-vintage.  In our case, with intimate knowledge of the vineyard, its special terroir, and our disciplined winemaking, we have made a solid wine in an otherwise “average” Napa Valley vintage.  What made this an exceptional vintage for us, was the location, east-facing aspect, and avoiding the worst of the heat damage that hit valley floor and west-facing vineyards.

We are offering Futures of our 2024 for the price of US$240 per 6-bottle case, excluding sales tax and freight.  Upon receipt of your deposit, your order will be confirmed. In approximately July-August 2026, we will correspond and re-confirm your order, address and at that time settle sales tax and freight charges.  Freight can be waived for local Bay Area delivery or pick up.