Spring Mountain Vineyard
Elivette Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California, USA
Blend of mostly Cab Sav with Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Malbec, aged for 22 Months in new French oak. Deep Ruby with aromas of black berry fruits, sweet spice, blossom & oak. Palate flavors of blackberry, black cherry & plum, jammy, with sweet spice, licorice and cacao notes. Fine structured soft tannins, well integrated, long finish, ending fresh fruit character, adding some leather, nutty notes & oak. Outstanding, still drinking well, has some bottle age.
Blend of mostly Cab Sav with Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Malbec, aged for 22 Months in new French oak. Deep Ruby with aromas of black berry fruits, sweet spice, blossom & oak. Palate flavors of blackberry, black cherry & plum, jammy, with sweet spice, licorice and cacao notes. Fine structured soft tannins, well integrated, long finish, ending fresh fruit character, adding some leather, nutty notes & oak. Outstanding, still drinking well, has some bottle age.
Aug 13th, 2023
A few fun 4th Friday wines from tonight.
I’ll be honest...this was very similar to the ‘09 Gruaud Larosse it shared the table with. Nice compliment. These Elivette’s have so much structure and can age for a good while, and while I’m sure this vintage is no different, it seemed much more approachable at a young age than previous vintages. Aromatically it shows potpourri, brambly fruits, some fig, and only a hint of leather. Dark core that is fairly soft, with blue and black fruits, pencil shavings, baked plum, dark chocolate and a very lengthy finish. Lots to like here.
A few fun 4th Friday wines from tonight.
I’ll be honest...this was very similar to the ‘09 Gruaud Larosse it shared the table with. Nice compliment. These Elivette’s have so much structure and can age for a good while, and while I’m sure this vintage is no different, it seemed much more approachable at a young age than previous vintages. Aromatically it shows potpourri, brambly fruits, some fig, and only a hint of leather. Dark core that is fairly soft, with blue and black fruits, pencil shavings, baked plum, dark chocolate and a very lengthy finish. Lots to like here.
A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc & 5% Merlot, aged for 22 Months in new French oak. Deep Ruby with pronounced aromas of red and black fruits and notes of oak, rich cacao, spice with earthy mineral. On the palate flavors of blackberry, raspberry and ripe fig with some leather, tobacco, pepper and nutty earthy tones. Fine developed chewy tannins, good structure, long finish, ready to drink, has nicely developed tertiary flavors and aromas with great mouthfeel ending with earthy fruit character. Wonderful! Outstanding! Tasting Sample.
A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc & 5% Merlot, aged for 22 Months in new French oak. Deep Ruby with pronounced aromas of red and black fruits and notes of oak, rich cacao, spice with earthy mineral. On the palate flavors of blackberry, raspberry and ripe fig with some leather, tobacco, pepper and nutty earthy tones. Fine developed chewy tannins, good structure, long finish, ready to drink, has nicely developed tertiary flavors and aromas with great mouthfeel ending with earthy fruit character. Wonderful! Outstanding! Tasting Sample.
Dec 3rd, 2019A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot & 1% Malbec, aged for 22 Months in new French oak, 1,960 cases made. Deep Ruby with developing aromas of black berry fruits, sweet spice and notes of blossom and oak. On the palate pronounced flavors of blackberry, black cherry and black plum, almost jammy, some sweet spice and cacao notes. Fine structured soft tannins, well integrated, long finish, ending with fresh fruit character, just starting to add some leather, nutty notes and oak. Outstanding, drinking well, beginning starting to develop some bottle age, but has a decade to go! Tasting Sample.
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot & 1% Malbec, aged for 22 Months in new French oak, 1,960 cases made. Deep Ruby with developing aromas of black berry fruits, sweet spice and notes of blossom and oak. On the palate pronounced flavors of blackberry, black cherry and black plum, almost jammy, some sweet spice and cacao notes. Fine structured soft tannins, well integrated, long finish, ending with fresh fruit character, just starting to add some leather, nutty notes and oak. Outstanding, drinking well, beginning starting to develop some bottle age, but has a decade to go! Tasting Sample.
Dec 3rd, 2019Rich ripe fruit sliding down a Silk Road
Rich ripe fruit sliding down a Silk Road
Oct 6th, 2019Another Wednesday Wine Committee in the books. Great hosting by @Bill Makens . 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine all served blind.
My co-red WOTD. Perfumed with sweet oak, candied black cherries and cocoa dusted dates. Youthful. Big structure in place but not overly gripping. Dusty covered blackberries, plum and peppercorn, showing a hint of leather. Gorgeous. I called this late ‘00s/early 2010 Napa Cab.
Another Wednesday Wine Committee in the books. Great hosting by @Bill Makens . 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine all served blind.
My co-red WOTD. Perfumed with sweet oak, candied black cherries and cocoa dusted dates. Youthful. Big structure in place but not overly gripping. Dusty covered blackberries, plum and peppercorn, showing a hint of leather. Gorgeous. I called this late ‘00s/early 2010 Napa Cab.
Damn good wine, company, food, and service! This wine is peaking, with strong tannins balanced against dark fruit, mild tobacco and leather, and hints of citrus. This goes straight to my "Top 10 Best Bottles EVER" list.
Damn good wine, company, food, and service! This wine is peaking, with strong tannins balanced against dark fruit, mild tobacco and leather, and hints of citrus. This goes straight to my "Top 10 Best Bottles EVER" list.
7 people found it helpfulOct 4th, 2014
Sediment and tartrates so heavy that it impeded flow thru the neck. Tannins softened considerably and this became a rich, earthy, elegant full-bodied wine. Big but subtle fruit. Like a cross between Napa and Bordeaux.
Sediment and tartrates so heavy that it impeded flow thru the neck. Tannins softened considerably and this became a rich, earthy, elegant full-bodied wine. Big but subtle fruit. Like a cross between Napa and Bordeaux.
4 people found it helpfulSep 17th, 2013
At the end of the Last Bottle Marathon a few weeks ago, I am surmising they cleared out the remaining Spring Mtn. Inventory. So, I bought this 2012 & a mag of 2007. Pretty good decision at $29 on the 2012 and $79 on the 2007 magnum. The 2012 is over delivering at $29.
Interesting story with this winery that closed in 2019. An investment fund bought the property & two others Spring Mtn. wineries and started investing to build them into something better. As bad luck goes sometimes, the Glass Fires followed in 2020. That was a big setback and they’re still in the process of regrouping.
The nose has a dark currents, red, blue & some purple fruits in its core. Hints of smoke, dark, sharpish spices, baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, soft used leather, fresh tobacco, barrel shavings, fresh & withering red & dark florals.
The palate shows dry, velvety, dark medium to plus tannins. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, hovering raspberries dark cherries with notes of strawberries & blueberries. Dark spices that press the palate with heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick shavings, vanillin, dark chocolate, warm caramel, some black licorice, dry herbaceous tones, moist to dryish grey volcanics/clay, crushed dry rocks, dark, rich earth with dry leaves, dry tobacco with ash, dry; dark, red, florals with withering violets, very nice acidity. The finish is long almost two-minutes, it’s well structured/tensioned for a 2012, balanced with elegance & smartly polished settling on earthiness & spice on the long set.
Has another 10-15 yrs ahead of it.
At the end of the Last Bottle Marathon a few weeks ago, I am surmising they cleared out the remaining Spring Mtn. Inventory. So, I bought this 2012 & a mag of 2007. Pretty good decision at $29 on the 2012 and $79 on the 2007 magnum. The 2012 is over delivering at $29.
Interesting story with this winery that closed in 2019. An investment fund bought the property & two others Spring Mtn. wineries and started investing to build them into something better. As bad luck goes sometimes, the Glass Fires followed in 2020. That was a big setback and they’re still in the process of regrouping.
The nose has a dark currents, red, blue & some purple fruits in its core. Hints of smoke, dark, sharpish spices, baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, soft used leather, fresh tobacco, barrel shavings, fresh & withering red & dark florals.
The palate shows dry, velvety, dark medium to plus tannins. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, hovering raspberries dark cherries with notes of strawberries & blueberries. Dark spices that press the palate with heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick shavings, vanillin, dark chocolate, warm caramel, some black licorice, dry herbaceous tones, moist to dryish grey volcanics/clay, crushed dry rocks, dark, rich earth with dry leaves, dry tobacco with ash, dry; dark, red, florals with withering violets, very nice acidity. The finish is long almost two-minutes, it’s well structured/tensioned for a 2012, balanced with elegance & smartly polished settling on earthiness & spice on the long set.
Has another 10-15 yrs ahead of it.