Nestled in the Mayacamas Mountains on the western side of Napa Valley,
the Mount Veeder AVA (American Viticultural Area) is defined by three main factors.
Starting where Carneros ends, 400 feet up Milliken Peak and stretching north
to the Oakville Grade, it’s among the coolest and latest ripening sites for
growing Cabernet in Napa Valley.
to the Oakville Grade, it’s among the coolest and latest ripening sites for
growing Cabernet in Napa Valley.
The vineyards owe much of their success to being planted on rugged slopes and ridge
tops above the fog line where the diurnal shifts in temperature are greater than the valley floor, but the hours of sunlight are longer. Lastly, the soils are an island of ancient seabed pushed up into a mountain which provides relatively shallow, well drained-soils, with minimal water retention. These factors unite to produce very tiny berries and consequently, very low yields.
tops above the fog line where the diurnal shifts in temperature are greater than the valley floor, but the hours of sunlight are longer. Lastly, the soils are an island of ancient seabed pushed up into a mountain which provides relatively shallow, well drained-soils, with minimal water retention. These factors unite to produce very tiny berries and consequently, very low yields.
The harsh elements (lashed by wind and sun exposure) combine to thicken the
skins of Mount Veeder fruit which is where all the color and tannins are formed. So
when we harvest the Cabernet Sauvignon and crush the berries, we have a huge amount of color and tannin (typically 50% more than fruit that comes from the valley floor)
that are dissolving into very little juice.
skins of Mount Veeder fruit which is where all the color and tannins are formed. So
when we harvest the Cabernet Sauvignon and crush the berries, we have a huge amount of color and tannin (typically 50% more than fruit that comes from the valley floor)
that are dissolving into very little juice.
These young, just released tannins, are very small in size and will fall readily onto
your taste buds, creating a bitter, astringent sensation. But by working a small amount of air into the wine, starting with aerative pump-overs during fermentation and then later by ageing in thin stave Bordeaux barrels, the tannins will have a chance, catalyzed by this tiny amount of oxygen, to knit together into longer chains we call polymers.
your taste buds, creating a bitter, astringent sensation. But by working a small amount of air into the wine, starting with aerative pump-overs during fermentation and then later by ageing in thin stave Bordeaux barrels, the tannins will have a chance, catalyzed by this tiny amount of oxygen, to knit together into longer chains we call polymers.
These developing tannins are too big to fall onto your taste buds and instead glide
gently over your palate leaving the impression of silkiness or velvetiness that are the hallmark of our Brandlin wines.
gently over your palate leaving the impression of silkiness or velvetiness that are the hallmark of our Brandlin wines.
So to recap, the cool, rugged site provides wines that have perfect natural acidity,
great concentration of flavor and a robust reservoir of tannins that will protect the wine and provide it with years of freshness in the bottle as they slowly resolve.
great concentration of flavor and a robust reservoir of tannins that will protect the wine and provide it with years of freshness in the bottle as they slowly resolve.
