Almacerro Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 750 ML Ludwigs Fine Wine

Almacerro is a family-owned winemaking estate harkening back to the cherished tradition of Napa Valley vineyard homesteads. Patiently revitalized by Proprietor Frank Scherkenbach who purchased the 41-acre property in 2016 after four decades of visiting Napa Valley, Almacerro sits at 1780 feet on Howell Mountain, with 11 acres of vineyard occupying a remote area of the AVA. With a team that includes Vineyard Manager Mike Wolf, Consulting Winemaker Françoise Peschon, and Winemaker Matilda Scott, Almacerro creates classic mountain wines that are forthright in structure, nuanced and balanced in character, and evocative of the wild place they call home.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is dark and brooding, earthy and layered. Notes of petrichor, cedar box, dusty savory herbs and mountain sage brush exude from the glass. Unmistakably Howell Mountain, its robust and muscular framework is woven delicately with luscious, velvety tannins to reveal a wine that is both powerful and lifted. Beneath these savory layers are beautifully nuanced aromas of cassis, juicy ripe blackberries and mulberries with perfumy notes of fresh rose petals and lavender that provide yet another
level of intrigue and depth to the wine. As the tannins wind their way across the palate, we are left with the impression of total balance and harmony, a wine that is both stoic and poised.

A glorious vintage, 2018 is one of the most idyllic in recent Napa history. The winter began with lower than usual rains and was slow to release its cold grasp on the mountain, pushing budbreak to the middle of April and setting the trend for an overall cooler growing season. These mild temperatures induced slow maturation of the grapevines and led to balanced canopy growth. Spring brought plentiful and well-timed rainfall giving the vines ample access to soil nutrients. Bloom in June was heralded with perfectly mild conditions, creating a generous fruit set of beautifully full clusters. Veraison soon followed in the middle of August, the timing of which, coupled with another cool spell, allowed for the brix to develop slowly and in unison with the phenolics and flavors of the berries. A bountiful harvest across the valley, the Almacerro estate saw the first pick on September 12th with the old vine Merlot and continued through October 6th with the last pick of Cabernet Sauvignon.