2007 Soter Vineyards Napa Valley Red Blend....$129.99
This wine is Tony Soter's last Cabernet and his last Napa Valley wine! It is a truly special bottling commemorating a 30 year career that involved making many acclaimed wines for exceptional producers, namely: Araujo, Dalla Valle, Etude Niebaum Coppola, Shafer, Spottswoode and Viader. More than a piece of vinous memorabilia, this wine makes a parting statement about what Napa Cabernet can be, what it was and what it has meant to this acknowledged master of the craft. This bottling represents a thread spanning three decades in the evolution of napa winemaking as seen through the hand of one talented and influential winegrower.
"Little Creek" Vineyard is a 3-acre parcel surrounding the former Soter home in Napa. this area is part of a proposed AVA called Tolucay, east of the city of Napa. Tulocay's southern Napa location benefits from the cooling breezes drawn in through the Golden Gate as well as from the well-drained gravelly loans. The resulting wines have vibrance and aromatic focus. Where "Little Creek" contributes the Cabernet Franc component {40%} and part of the Malbec, a second elite vineyard in the Eastern hills of the St. Helena AVA planted on volcanic soils provides rare, "Heirloom" clones of Cabernet Sauvignon {40%}, along with more exotic Malbec {20%}. Tony helped to plant this vineyard site ten years ago. It's unusual, Northeast facing exposition helps to prevent desiccating head from potentially damaging the fruit while preserving complexity and expressing terroir. This site represents a special plant collection of several clones of Heritage Cabernet clones from properties like Eisele, Coppola, Cohn {aka Scarecrow}, Montebello and Monte Rosso. THese clones and this site in St. Helena yield high tone definition and powerfully concentrated essence.
Unmistakably exotic Cabernet Franc notes of blueberries, violets and cigar box lead the initial aromatic burst. The wine is robust and precisely focused on the palate adding flavors of black currant, cases and dark chocolate with subtle tertiary notes of slate and iron. Richly textured - both silky and velvety - it finishes with fascinating complexity to ponder and enjoy.Both the 2007 and 2006 vintages are represented in this bottling, where the blend of both years together simply made for the most compelling wine.
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