Spottswoode is one of the unquestionable superstars of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. For over 40 years the Novak family has farmed their grapes with the sole intention of producing the best Cabernet Sauvignon that they can, and it now rivals the best in the world! Their property is located in western St. Helena, located in the upper region of the Napa Valley. Butted against the gorgeous backdrop of the Mayacamas Mountains, the vines are planted in soils that are high in gravel and clay content. This brings ripe, rich fruit flavors while naturally retaining the structure and backbone that so many other producers struggle to maintain. Spottswoode was among the first wineries to have adopted organics, having farmed their vineyard organically since 1985 and acquired California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) certification in 1992.
Produced in small quantities, Spottswoode is a wine that is not easy to secure. That being said, we have been loyal supporters of the Novak and Milliken families for decades, and this year we received this truly stunning wine in four sizes: half bottles, regular 750mL bottles, magnum bottles, and even a double magnum! This is not the first time Spottswoode has crafted a wine that earned the perfect 100 point score, but this year it has earned 100 points from both Jeb Dunnuck, as well as Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate)!
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 97+ POINTS - "Made of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color and prances out of the glass with vivacious blackberries, crushed black cherries, warm black currants and red currant jelly scents plus exotic hints of cassia, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise with a waft of underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic energy and beautiful poise, with bags of bright, crunchy black and red fruit plus a firm, fine-grained texture, finishing long and spicy."
ANTONIO GALLONI 96 POINTS - "Spottswoode's 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has been simply tremendous on both occasions I have tasted it so far. Sweet red cherry, red plum, flowers and mint give the 2017 striking freshness to complement its decidedly mid-weight structure. The intense heat of the vintage caused ripening to slow down and yielded a wine with just 13.7% alcohol, which is low for both the estate and Napa Valley in general. Spottswoode was one of the first estates in the valley to adopt a more moderate approach to farming and that really paid off in 2017, as a wine of this level in that year could have only resulted from impeccable farming. In a word: magnificent!"
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Looking at the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which was bottled two months prior to my tasting, it too has a Chateau Margaux-like complexity and elegance, with beautiful notes of crème de cassis, sandalwood, dried flowers, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil. Harvested all pre-fire, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and remarkable purity, all making for a quintessential Spottswoode that's going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20+ years."
Produced in small quantities, Spottswoode is a wine that is not easy to secure. That being said, we have been loyal supporters of the Novak and Milliken families for decades, and this year we received this truly stunning wine in four sizes: half bottles, regular 750mL bottles, magnum bottles, and even a double magnum! This is not the first time Spottswoode has crafted a wine that earned the perfect 100 point score, but this year it has earned 100 points from both Jeb Dunnuck, as well as Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate)!
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 97+ POINTS - "Made of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color and prances out of the glass with vivacious blackberries, crushed black cherries, warm black currants and red currant jelly scents plus exotic hints of cassia, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise with a waft of underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic energy and beautiful poise, with bags of bright, crunchy black and red fruit plus a firm, fine-grained texture, finishing long and spicy."
ANTONIO GALLONI 96 POINTS - "Spottswoode's 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has been simply tremendous on both occasions I have tasted it so far. Sweet red cherry, red plum, flowers and mint give the 2017 striking freshness to complement its decidedly mid-weight structure. The intense heat of the vintage caused ripening to slow down and yielded a wine with just 13.7% alcohol, which is low for both the estate and Napa Valley in general. Spottswoode was one of the first estates in the valley to adopt a more moderate approach to farming and that really paid off in 2017, as a wine of this level in that year could have only resulted from impeccable farming. In a word: magnificent!"
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Looking at the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which was bottled two months prior to my tasting, it too has a Chateau Margaux-like complexity and elegance, with beautiful notes of crème de cassis, sandalwood, dried flowers, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil. Harvested all pre-fire, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and remarkable purity, all making for a quintessential Spottswoode that's going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20+ years."
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