Winemaker Notes

The 2018 Ardante Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. The source for this wine is from Yates Family Vineyard, up near the top of Mount Veeder. Showing mountain fruit characteristics, this wine is deep purple/ruby in color, with black fruits filling up the nose. Full-bodied, scores of blackberries, and black cherry flavors with a nice spice box base. A bit of patience on this wine, as a few years of aging will help tame the tannic edge that drapes the mouth-coating fresh black fruits. 

Reviews

94pts - Jeb Dunnuck, Best Napa Valley Wines under $100

92pts - James Suckling

90pts - Decanter

Harvest Notes

The 2018 growing season began with a relatively dry spring and just a bit below normal rainfall over the winter. Budbreak was on time, leading to flowering in late May. The summer didn’t see too many heat spikes, but we were treated to cooler than normal mornings leading into harvest, allowing the fruit to hang a little longer than normal. The two blocks off this vineyard were picked early in the morning on October 15th and 16th.
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