Edition 38 | April 2022

Hello Mountain Wine Club!

For the April 2022 Mountain Wine Club shipment, we're sending two of Napa Valley’s finest wines: 2014 Restricted Cabernet Franc from Spring Mountain District, exclusively available to MWC members, and 2019 La Jota Cabernet Franc from Howell Mountain.

Spring in the vineyard marks the reawakening of the vines. The vines are greening up as shoots and buds begin to grow. Bud break, flowering, and other important vineyard transitions are laying the groundwork for the next vintage. The vines are using water and stored nutrients from winter to bring them one step closer to harvest.

The Cabernet Franc grapes for these wines come from exceptional blocks on our estate vineyards. Established in 1993, the Spring Mountain District appellation sits above the town of St. Helena on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains. The Restricted Cabernet Franc is sourced from the Yverdon Vineyard. The vineyard is located at 1,600 feet of elevation with primarily weathered volcanic soils and high drainage. Cool daytime temperatures, deficient soil and sharply inclined vineyard terraces combine to create ideal growing conditions.

The La Jota Cabernet Franc vineyard was planted in 1976 and is now one of the oldest Cabernet Franc vineyards in Napa Valley. The old vines self-regulate, so we do not need to thin the crop, pull leaves, or otherwise adjust the grape-to-canopy ratio. Not many wineries produce Cabernet Franc, which makes us proud to provide such exemplary wines to our members. The essence of the Spring Mountain and Howell Mountain terroirs are present in every drop.

We look forward to sharing the 2014 Restricted Cabernet Franc and the 2019 La Jota Cabernet Franc with you.

Enjoy!

Peace,

Winemaker Chris Carpenter