A famed Napa house with a great history, Spottswoode was founded in 1882 by George Schonewald. Spottswoode was christened by Mrs. Albert Spotts in 1910 and was later acquired by Mary and Jack Novak in 1972. Mary released Spottswoode’s first Cabernet Sauvignon in 1982, exactly one hundred years after the estate’s founding.
Today, Mary’s daughter Beth Novak Milliken manages the winery, and daughter Lindy Novak serves as the winery’s Marketing Ambassador. Every year Spottswoode produces an Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and an Estate Sauvignon Blanc in honor of their founder, Mary Novak. Spottswoode also crafts a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon called Lyndenhurst, a dual-appellation Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc, and two limited-production wines for club members only (Spottswoode Estate “Mary’s Block” Sauvignon Blanc and Field Book Syrah). The estate is located at western edge of St. Helena at the foot of the Mayacamas mountains, as vines are set on alluvial clay loam while a strong wartime influence runs through Spring Mountain and the Mayacamas range. The estate has forty acres of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with portions of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc which have been organically farmed since 1985.
I adored the new 2017 Spottswoode ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 96) which has incredible poise and tension with nice restraint and elegance. This is dense Napa Cabernet with serious finesse that has some great aging potential. Learn more about this famed Napa winery at https://www.spottswoode.com Here is my review of the 2017 Spottswoode ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon.
2017 Spottswoode ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2017 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkable wine from what was for some a challenging vintage in the Napa Valley. A blend of nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon (89%) with small portions Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the wine was aged in 60% new French oak for twenty months before bottling. Needing a two hour decant to fully be aroused, once unveiled this shows off layers of kirsch cordial and creme de cassis aromatics with loamy soils, graphite and shades of dark chocolate shavings that all meld in the glass. The palate is silky smooth, showing an incredibly pillowy texture. Ripe dark currants mingle with minerals, dark chocolate covered espresso bean, creosote and shade of pipe tobacco and crushed mint that all march in unison. The long finish adds to the drinking enjoyment as the sense of finesse is sensational. Gratifying to savor in its youth, this has at least twenty years of drinking enjoyment ahead of it. Drink 2022-2040- 96