Chapellet Mountain Cuvee
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
Estate Cuvée Okanagan Valley Pinot Gris 2020
The estate cuvee here... On the nose, paraffin wax and honeydew melon... On the palate, this gets into gooseberry and white peach. The finish is long white pepper. Quite nice and between this and the Reserve, among the best matches around for BC salmon in the summertime. — 5 years ago
Philip Togni Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1992
One of my favorite Napa producers & vintages from Philip Togni.
On the nose, ripe, perfumed florals, creamy fruits of; blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, plum and strawberries on the glass edges. Vibrant baking spices; vanilla, light cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark smooth spices, mocha chocolate with caramel, dark berry cola, notes of black licorice, sweet tar, forest floral, fresh tobacco leaf, just a touch of dry herbs, graphite, loamy clay and dark, fresh red florals with lavender & violets.
The body is, round, ruby, lush & full. The structure, tension, length have just tipped to the very beginnings of the waning stage but, the balance is incredible. Ripe, perfumed florals, creamy fruits of; blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, plum and strawberries on the glass edges. Vibrant baking spices; vanilla, light cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark smooth spices, mocha chocolate with caramel, dark berry cola, chalky volcanic minerals with some grit, crushed dry rocks, notes of black licorice, sweet tar, forest floral, tobacco with ash, soft leather, saddle-wood, some underbrush, just a touch of dry herbs, graphite, loamy clay and dark, fresh red florals with lavender & violets. The round acidity is near perfect. The long, round, ripe, ruby, lush, well balanced finish sings on the palate for minutes.
Photos of, the Philip Togni vineyard, cellar staff-Salvador Sanchez, Philip Togni and his daughter Lisa and their barrel room.
Producer notes and history...Philip Togni was born in England and earned a degree (the Dipome National d’Oenologie) at the University of Bordeaux under Emile Peynaud. World famous Winemaker & mega Wine Consultant Michel Rolland also studied under Emile.
After his studies, Philip Togni moved to the Napa Valley in 1959. His first job was planting vines at Mayacamas.
In his career, he has been the Winemaker for Chalone, Chappellet, Cuvaison, Gallo, Inglenook and Sterling before starting his own winery.
Philip Togni was the Winemaker at Chapellet when they made one of the top wines from the 1960’s, the legendary 1969 Chapellet.
Philip Togni Vineyards were founded in 1975 when he purchased 25 acres atop Spring Mountain at an elevation of 2,000 feet. It took until 1981 to plant the vineyard. Sadly, he had to replant in the early 1990’s due to phylloxera.
The winery released its first vintage in 1983, a Sauvignon Blanc. However, he no longer produces white wine.
It took a few more years until the first Cabernet Sauvignon wines were produced at the estate. The debut vintage for Philip Togni Cabernet was the 1985 vintage. The initial vintages of Philip Togni were 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Philip Togni does not produce wines with high alcohol. A style from Napa that is sorely missed by me.
The style of his wines are Left bank. Left Bank wines had a big influence on his winemaking and the estate. However, if you have ever spent time looking at his labels for alcohol levels, they’re nowhere to be found.
During the 1980’s, the BATF allowed wineries to state that their wine had the alcoholic strength of a table wine, which was around 7% to 14%. For wineries that had not requested to change their labels, those wineries were not forced to provide specific percent of alcohol. If their labels remain unchanged from their label during the 1980’s, they were only required to state the wine as table wine.
The vineyard contains rocky and clay soils at 2,000 feet. Like Howell Mountain, the vineyard is well above the fog line, which allows for more sunlight and riper fruit.
The Estate is planted to 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
Philip Togni makes three wines:
Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged in 40% new, French oak barrels for an average of 20 months before bottling.
Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, powerful, tannic when wine young. PT requires longer cellar time. It’s made from ripe mountain fruit that can easily take a 10 to 20 year to fully mature. And trust me, it is closer to 20 years of aging before it’s ready to drink.
Philip Togni also produces a second wine called “Tanbark Hill.” It’s named after a prominent hill near the Estate. Tanbark Hill is a 3 1/2-acre parcel of young vines. A very good second wine for less money.
The third wine is Philip Togni Ca’ and is sweet red dessert wine that is produced from the grape, Black Hamburgh. This grape was popular in the Napa Valley before Prohibition. Black Hamburgh is also know as Black Muscat. It is a grape variety derived from the crossing of the Schiava Grossa and Muscat of Alexandria by R. Snow of Bedforshire, England in 1850, according to my studies.
Philip Togni remains a family Winery. The estate is managed by Philip Togni (in his 90’s), his wife Brigitta Togni and their daughter Lisa Togni. In time, it is expected that Lisa Togni will take over the estate.
— 8 years ago
Pride Mountain Vineyards
Vintner Select Cuvee Sonoma County Merlot
Great red - had with Anaita Pete and Shireen after magic show — a year ago
Ashes & Diamonds Winery
Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2017
Very yummy Mediterranean family style lunch from Ashes & Diamonds chef, wines are restrained and just OK... nice pours with the lunch though!!!!
2018 semillion-savignon blanc
2017 cab franc
2018 red hen cab sav
2018 bates ranch mountain cuvee
2017 mountain peak cab sav
2017 estate merlot — 5 years ago
Oak Mountain Winery
Premium Cuvee Peach Sparkling Wine 2019
This was the Oak Mountain White Merlot, which did not show up in the app. Great Rose, perfect balance between dry and sweet. Would buy again! — 5 years ago
Chapellet Mountain Cuvee
Chapellet Mountain Cuvee Las Piedras
Incredibly good value red with bold fruit and pleasantly low acid. Deep ruby body and rich unfolding flavors. Body of red and blue fruit, strong cassis finish. — 8 years ago
Ravenswood Winery
Pickberry Single Vineyard Sonoma Mountain Red Merlot Blend 2012
Nice cuvee style single estate blend. Dark cherry, pronounced tannins, good vibes — 8 years ago
O'Shaughnessy
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I knew that keeping these guys around was a good idea. This wine is in a REALLY good spot tonight. A flavor profile VERY similar to their next door neighbor but this wine is a crazy cuvee of 88% Cab, 5% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% PV and 2% St. Macaire. Wins the "black cork" award! This wine has power, is very thick on the palate, yet elegant in places. IMO probably not even ready to go just yet. Decanted for an hour. POWERFUL blackberry and vanilla nose. The entry still has some oaked character. Tobacco to the middle with powerful blackberry, some dark chocolate, mint, herbal. The finish was baking spice kind of spicy, still quite tannic with good acidity. This wine is a stand-alone stunner. Probably still five years away from a true pop and pour. Delicious! — 9 years ago
Girard Winery
Mountain Cuvee Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Good but not remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon. Perfectly smooth but not much complexity. Just a straightforward Cabernet Sauvignon and not flawed. — 2 years ago
Michel Rebourgeon
Cuvee William Pommard Pinot Noir 2018
Needs at least an hour of air. Not a pop and pour !!!
Nose is elegant blackberry flower. Gorgeous graphite. Very cornassy. An ephemeral elegance about it.
Palate is elite elegant blackberry. Pencil lead. So juicy and fresh. Mountain stream. Elegant grip.
Fail on my part for drinking this with not enough air. It’s a serious wine. Ignore the price. Oops. 1er cru quality. $100 blind.
Bought from fass selections. — 4 years ago
Wolf Mountain Vineyards
Reserve Cuvee Brut 2015
Nice sparkling. Makes a great mimosa! Slightly sweet but not too much so. Scents of white grape. Very refreshing! — 8 years ago
Coup de Foudre
37.2 Cuvée Napa Valley Merlot Blend 2012
Coup de Foudre's 37.2 Cuvee is a Right Bank style red, more specifically Pomerol-inspired, with a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. Espresso, cranberry, and loam, with a wild herbaceous mint that really points to mountain fruit. A beautiful mix of floral and spice accents add complexity, while the fine grained tannin adds the polish. Really penetrates the palate with a finish that seems to go on forever. — 9 years ago
Robert Craig Winery
Bob's Cuvee Sauvage Napa Valley Red Blend 2013
This one-off Cuvée from the boutique Robert Craig winery which focuses on mountain appellations in Napa is 50% Spring Mountain CS and 50% Howell Mountain Zinfandel (same juice that goes into the Turley Zin) aged 12 months in French Oak, 35% new. Gentle nose of dark fruits, green and sweet bell pepper, coffee, herbs, slight scent of perfume. Silky and savory on the palate with refreshing acidity. Bitter herbal finish. This wine is supple and delicious. And a hell of a deal at $20! — 9 years ago
Freddy R. Troya
Chapellet Mountain Cuvée Proprietor’s Blend 2023
Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸
Overview
A vibrant Bordeaux-style blend from Chapellet, a pioneering family-owned estate high on Pritchard Hill since 1967. Known for its rocky, elevated vineyards and bold mountain-grown fruit, Chapellet crafts this approachable yet terroir-rich blend for both immediate enjoyment and graceful aging.
Blend Composition
• 51% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 24% Merlot
• 10% Petit Verdot
• 8% Malbec
• 7% Cabernet Franc 
Aromas & Flavors
Effusively aromatic with dark cherries, blackberries, and plums, framed by spicy oak notes of clove, cardamom, cedar, plus touches of black pepper and savory herbs. The palate mirrors this with plush ripe berry layers, framed by fine-grained tannins, and finishes with lingering dark chocolate and anise.  
Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with a luxuriously textured core. The fine-grained tannins wrap the fruit beautifully, balanced by inherent freshness—creating a long, silky, and satisfying finish.  
Winemaking Notes
Crafted under the guidance of Winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus, the 2023 vintage benefitted from a cool growing season and carefully managed canopy work to preserve freshness and reduce yields. Fermented and aged to deliver immediate appeal without compromising structure. 
Food Pairing
A versatile pairing wine—ideal with grilled ribeye, slow-braised short ribs, or herbed lamb chops. It also complements rich pasta sauces and grilled mushrooms—luxurious yet approachable.
Verdict
Mountain Cuvée 2023 is a powerful yet elegant Napa blend, showcasing depth, freshness, and mountain intensity. It’s a beautifully balanced wine that offers a compelling mix of immediate pleasure and layered complexity. A benchmark for mountain-grown Bordeaux blends. — 10 months ago