Christopher Carpenter
Mariano Navarro
Mt. Brave Vineyard
14.5%
88% Cabernet Sauvginon
5% Merlot
4% Cabernet Franc
3% Malbec
92 points
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The Wine Advocate, October 2014
19 months in 81% new French oak
Greetings from the Mountain Wine Club, where rugged mountain winemaking is not for the faint of heart—and we like it that way. Cultivating grapes at high elevations and under dramatic mountain conditions is a painstaking, labor-intensive process that results in bold wines of remarkable quality.
Your September shipment includes the 2012 La Jota and Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignons. Our vineyards on Howell Mountain and Mt. Veeder sit at an elevation of 1,400 to 1,800 feet, an altitude that keeps midday temperatures cooler than the valley below. At the same time, the location is well above the fog line, giving grapes longer daily exposure to sunlight. The wines have deep flavor concentration, perfectly balanced acidity, and firm tannin structure. The 2012 growing season was as good as it gets—and is already considered one of the great vintages.
Christopher Carpenter
Mariano Navarro
Mt. Brave Vineyard
14.5%
88% Cabernet Sauvginon
5% Merlot
4% Cabernet Franc
3% Malbec
92 points
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The Wine Advocate, October 2014
19 months in 81% new French oak