Edition 33 | February 2021

Hello Mountain Wine Club!

For the February 2021 Mountain Wine Club shipment, we're sending wine from two premier Napa Valley appellations: 2017 La Jota Vineyard Co. Merlot from Howell Mountain and 2017 Mt. Brave Zinfandel from Mt. Veeder.

As you know, high-elevation winegrowing requires a meticulous, labor-intensive approach. Thin, rocky soils and steep slopes make water retention a challenge and erosion a threat, but the vines benefit from the struggle and produce concentrated flavors.

In 2017, these carefully cultivated grapes were threatened when high winds brought wildfires to Napa Valley. However, we had harvested the fruit for these wines by that time, and with great fortune, it was safely in our winery. These are some of the very few wines from the 2017 vintage, making them ones to collect and cherish.

Enjoy!

Peace,

Winemaker Chris Carpenter

2017 La Jota Vineyard Co.
Howell Mountain Merlot

Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA

“Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Merlot Howell Mountain reveals pretty baked plums, blueberry pie and blackberry compote notes with touches of cloves, star anise, cracked black pepper and black soil plus a waft of underbrush. Full-bodied, the palate is densely packed with crunchy black fruit layers, framed by very ripe, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and peppery.”

94 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker Wine Advocate, October 2019

Composition

89% Merlot,
11% Petit Verdot

Vineyard

W.S. Keyes Vineyard, 
La Jota Vineyard

Appellation

Howell Mountain, Napa Valley

Aging

20 months in French oak (91% new)

La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot
La Jota Vineyard Co. Vineyard Image

Mountain Wine Club logo

Join Now

Account