Current Shipment

Edition 46 | April 2024

Hello Mountain Wine Club!

 

For the April 2024 Mountain Wine Club shipment, we’re sending two of Napa Valley’s finest wines: 2019 Restricted Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain District, exclusively available to MWC members, and 2021 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 Sauvignon 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 Sauvignon 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 2019 Restricted Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2021 La Jota Cabernet Franc with you. Enjoy!

 

Peace,

Winemaker Chris Carpenter

2019 Restricted
Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, CA

"The 2019 Spring Mountain Cabernet shows the signature floral and red fruit flavors we look for in this location, opening with rose petal, raspberry and kirsch. A light toastiness and great acidity follow, deepening with wet shale minerality and structured tannins."

Chris Carpenter, Winemaker

Included in your April Mountain Wine Club Shipment

$150.00 per bottle / 127.50 club price
2019 Restricted Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 La Jota Vineyard Co.
Cabernet Franc

Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA

“We started off the 2021 season with very little rain followed by a fairly mild to moderate summer, which carried into the fall ripening period. The drought, combined with the after-effects of smoke in 2020 blocking out sunlight during bud development, set us up for very low yields in the new season. Those low yields ripened early with an incredible concentration and acidity. So for the 2021 vintage there is not a lot of wine but just a phenomenal outcome of character.”

Chris Carpenter, Winemaker

Included in your April Mountain Wine Club Shipment

$150.00 per bottle / 127.50 club price
2021 La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc

2021 La Jota Vineyard Co.
W.S. Keyes Vineyard Chardonnay

Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA

“The 2021 W.S. Keyes Chardonnay opens with a complementary nose of white peach and other orchard fruit, jasmine, and almond. On the palate, a mineral-drenched core of red and green apples is complicated by maple butter, white pepper, and toast. The overarching compilation of fruit, floral, savory, and spice is remarkable, conveying both energy and richness in this complex bottle.” 

Chris Carpenter, Winemaker

Add on option for this April Mountain Wine Club Shipment

$130.00 per bottle / 110.50 club price
Single bottle of 2021 La Jota W.S. Keyes Vineyard Chardonnay

2022 Restricted
Proprietary White Wine

California

“The inspiration was to explore often-underappreciated varieties and show how the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. Each variety plays a different role: Pinot Blanc – the structural spine of the wine, Sauvignon Blanc – lifts the aromatics, Albariño – adds salinity, Grenache Gris – imparts acidity and energy, Chenin Blanc – provides aromatic complexity, Marsanne and Roussanne – add palate weight. The result is a distinctly full expression.”

 Gianna Ghilarducci, Winemaker

Add on option for this April Mountain Wine Club Shipment

$55.00 per bottle / 46.75 club price
Restricted Proprietary White Wine