Mount Veeder Winery
Niebaum-Coppola Vineyards Cabernet Franc
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA
Wine of the Year – 2020. What a year. Maybe it should be “Wine of the Apocalypse” 1976 MOUNT VEEDER WINERY “Niebaum-Coppola Vineyards” Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. Yes, I love old California wines and every wine I have declared “WOTY” has been from the 1970’s so far, but I believe it’s time to leave the 1970’s behind and move on so 2020 – we go with an obscure variety especially in 1976, Cabernet Franc. I’ve had this wine three times with the last one being this week. Mount Veeder wines from the 1970’s and early 1980’s still sport what may be my favorite label design ever. The David Lance Goines’ label (he also did Ravenswood) just rocks. Oh yeah, the wine...
From a low neck/high shoulder bottle with an intact cork the wine poured out with a delicate aroma of dried roses, light pipe tobacco, and even a hint of cherries. The texture was edgy and tart but nothing to panic about – just a bit of oxidation which would have been surprising if it was absent from a 44 year old wine! I sat with friend Jodi @jojosommface for a couple of hours at lunch and watched as this wine slowly unwound and displayed its full panoply of exotic flavors. At about opening +2 hours it was really stroking – now the aromas had morphed into anise, blackberry, that smell from first grade when you cleaned the pencil sharpener – sort of, cedar and graphite but more complex, some fig and date notes lingering. It was extraordinary in every way and a delight to drink and share.
The 1976 was the third vintage released by the winery started by Michael and Arlene Bernstein and I have no idea how many cases of the Cabernet Franc were made. There was also a Cabernet Sauvignon (I’ve also had), probably a Chardonnay. I’d never seen this wine until it started coming up on wine auctions about ten years ago. I miss wines like this and certainly in my own way craft the Secret Door wines to perform like this over time.
I hope that you and your family get to enjoy wonderful wines together this Holiday Season. If you share one of my wines please feel free to post with your comments!
Wine of the Year – 2020. What a year. Maybe it should be “Wine of the Apocalypse” 1976 MOUNT VEEDER WINERY “Niebaum-Coppola Vineyards” Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. Yes, I love old California wines and every wine I have declared “WOTY” has been from the 1970’s so far, but I believe it’s time to leave the 1970’s behind and move on so 2020 – we go with an obscure variety especially in 1976, Cabernet Franc. I’ve had this wine three times with the last one being this week. Mount Veeder wines from the 1970’s and early 1980’s still sport what may be my favorite label design ever. The David Lance Goines’ label (he also did Ravenswood) just rocks. Oh yeah, the wine...
From a low neck/high shoulder bottle with an intact cork the wine poured out with a delicate aroma of dried roses, light pipe tobacco, and even a hint of cherries. The texture was edgy and tart but nothing to panic about – just a bit of oxidation which would have been surprising if it was absent from a 44 year old wine! I sat with friend Jodi @jojosommface for a couple of hours at lunch and watched as this wine slowly unwound and displayed its full panoply of exotic flavors. At about opening +2 hours it was really stroking – now the aromas had morphed into anise, blackberry, that smell from first grade when you cleaned the pencil sharpener – sort of, cedar and graphite but more complex, some fig and date notes lingering. It was extraordinary in every way and a delight to drink and share.
The 1976 was the third vintage released by the winery started by Michael and Arlene Bernstein and I have no idea how many cases of the Cabernet Franc were made. There was also a Cabernet Sauvignon (I’ve also had), probably a Chardonnay. I’d never seen this wine until it started coming up on wine auctions about ten years ago. I miss wines like this and certainly in my own way craft the Secret Door wines to perform like this over time.
I hope that you and your family get to enjoy wonderful wines together this Holiday Season. If you share one of my wines please feel free to post with your comments!