Edition 41 | February2023

Hello Mountain Wine Club,

For the February 2023 Mountain Wine Club shipment, we're sending wine from two top-tier Napa and Australian appellations: 2018 Restricted Syrah from Spring Mountain in Napa Valley, and 2019 Hickinbotham Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon from the Hickinbotham Vineyard in Australia.

Much like bears that hibernate during the winter, so do the vineyards. As the temperature begins to drop and the leaves change from green to red, the vines undergo their transformation into dormancy. ­It is a crucial time for the vines to use their stored energy for root expansion to soak up the necessary nutrients in the soil for bud break and bloom in the spring. In 2018, Napa experienced late winter rains and intermittent cloudy skies that delayed bud-break but gave way to ideal fruit conditions. With only a few short heat spikes, summer ushered in a near-perfect fall. In 2019, Australia had a very dry winter and spring, followed by record-breaking heat and dry conditions throughout the summer. Conditions like these are challenging for shoot growth, however, the silver lining is a low risk of vine disease. ­The warm growing season resulted in a condensed harvest with low yields, resulting in fruit showing great concentration of flavor with marked acidity and freshness.

­The uniqueness of these two wineries, the specialness of their AVAs, and the caliber of our estate vineyards are on full display in this shipment. We’re so excited to share them with you.

Peace,

Winemaker Chris Carpenter