Cabernet Sauvignon, Coursey Graves, Napa, CA, 2019

Along the western benchlands of the Oakville AVA, is the Oakville Graves Vineyard. The mid-valley location is tempered by cool evening/morning fog that gives way to midday sunshine. And with the rising Mayacama mountains to the west, the site has a climate and gravelly soil ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. At an elevation of 2200 feet, the Coursey Graves Howell Mountain Vineyard is another abundantly sunny, yet cool site, distinguished by its volcanic white ash soil.

Deep and intriguing, there is intensity, both visually and on the palate. The fruit is dark and speckled with chocolate. The vintage offers secondary notes of cedar, pencil shavings, and mint that are showcased in a wine of incredible structure. It is lifted by the fruit’s natural acidity and finishes with gentle but insistent tannins. It is an iconic wine worthy of any Napa Valley Cabernet collector’s cellar.