The folks at Robert Craig Winery know a thing or two about farming extreme terrors. Located on Howell Mountain, they have always focused on exploring Napa Valley's mountain appellations and producing small batches of powerful Cabernet Sauvignons.  The late Mr. Craig's career began on Mount Veeder at The Hess Collection.  He purchased his first vineyard in 1993 on Mount George, a sub-appellation near Stags Leap District from where their flagship "Affinity" still hails.  In addition to their vineyards on Howell Mountain they bottle Cabernets from their vineyards on Spring Mountain, Mount Veeder and Diamond Mountain as well. 

Both wines we're offering today are from 2016 - one of the great modern vintages in Napa Valley (98 points Wine Spectator, 98 points Wine Advocate, 95 points Wine Enthusiast).  It was another drought year in Napa Valley but with no real heat spikes to speak of.  The wines are concentrated, balanced and ready to drink young or to lay down for many years.  Buy 2016s while you still can!

For more on Robert Craig Winery click here.

For our full list of wines, click here.  To order, just reply to this email or give me a call, 437 227 6950 (cell), 416 961 2294 x 29 (office).

I hope to hear from you.  Stay well.

Sincerely,

Chris.

The Howell Mountain Cabernet comes from the Estate Vineyard where the winery is located, and from Candlestick Ridge vineyard, formerly owned by Duckhorn Wine Company.

The variation in soils and microclimates within the Estate Vineyard make it the most challenging of all their vineyards to farm. The yields are on average a meager 1.8 tons to the acre, and the fruit possesses a rare power and expression of this site. Soils are especially shallow, even for Howell Mountain, and the vines must bust through the rocky soils in search of moisture. The winery refers to these wines as "blood from the stones" for a reason.

Candlestick Ridge is the northernmost vineyard in the Howell Mountain AVA and is at a slightly warmer location than the summit where the Estate vineyard is planted.

The vineyard's macroclimate is influenced by warm air from Pope Valley to the east and, at its slightly lower elevation, it has protection from the constant winds that hit the ridge line. The soils here are definitive Howell Mountain - thin tufa (rock of volcanic ash) soil on top of a rocky volcanic bedrock.  These miserly soils force the vines' roots to drill down deep in search of moisture and nutrients.  This stress contributes to very small crop loads, in 2016 only 1.8 tons per acre, and very intense fruit.  Candlestick Ridge Vineyard is not only one of the greatest vineyard sites on Howell Mountain, it is truly singular in the world.

The 2016 is composed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot.  It spent 18 months in French oak barriques. 80% were new, 20% were second fill. It was bottled unfiltered and unfined.  Only 1800 cases were produced.