HOWELL MOUNTAIN CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Taub Family Vineyards was born out of a dream four generations in the making. It’s a story that began during a pivotal time in U.S. wine history, just days after Prohibition was repealed, and one that is far from completion. The latest chapter is now unfolding as Proprietor Marc D. Taub and his son Jake explore some of California’s most exciting appellations.

Wine has always been the centerpiece of the family’s narrative and livelihood and Marc D. Taub grew up with a deep appreciation for the art of winemaking. His grandfather Marty played an instrumental role in the wine business from the early 1930s, and Marc’s father David later joined Marty’s side to build upon his dream. Marc always knew he would follow in their footsteps. This came to fruition in 2013, when Marc acquired Napa Valley producer Heritance – which later evolved to Taub Family Vineyards. The winery represents some of the best sites in Napa Valley. Each wine embodies a pure expression of its respective AVA and vineyard microsite and are crafted for elegance and extraordinary balance.

The valley oak pictured on the label, a familiar part of any Napa Valley landscape, honors the family’s provenance, while the diamond at the base of the tree represents the seed planted for the legacy of generations to come.

The beginning of the 2019 growing season was characterized by abundant rainfall and recurring soil moisture. This set the stage for a long, warm summer with few extreme heat events. Classic cool, foggy mornings combined with a lengthy, relatively mild finish to the season to preserve purity and elegance in the fruit with abundant hang time teasing out great color, structure, and soft tannins. Yields were average to slightly less than average, with exceptional fruit quality typified by bright acidity and ample texture allowing the production of vibrant and expressive wines.

Grapes are from the Rahn vineyard in the Howell Mountain AVA. The Cabernet Sauvignon clones are 337, 191 and 4 with rootstocks 101-14, 110R and 1103P. The vineyard has deep, well-drained, porous, nutrient-lean, rocky volcanic soils composed of crumbly white, decomposed volcanic ash known as rhyolitic tuff, along with red, iron-laden basaltic to andesitic clay.

Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and hand-sorted. Cold soak lasts for 3–5 days, followed by approx. 14 days of fermentation with three daily pump-overs. Fermented to dry on skins with an additional 7–14 days extended maceration to optimize the flavor, mouthfeel, and tannin structure of the wine. Drained, pressed and transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and ageing. Aged for 22 months in 100% French oak (75% new).

Aromas of dusty graphite, crushed rock and dried herb linger with cocoa powder and coffee bean in this intensely concentrated, powerful, mountain-grown wine. Seamless, complex and structured, the palate offers a dense array of red and dark fruit flavors highlighted by cassis and tobacco leaf with hints of leather and gun smoke. Soft, rich, and round, it delivers well-integrated, resolved tannin buoyed by a lively palate of bright acidity and a long-lasting finish.