Wishing you all a safe and prosperous 2023! I love visiting Cuvaison, one of the great producers in the Carneros region. Truly some of the great views of the region from their windswept vineyard location, for years I have admired the Chardonnay wines from this house and fondly recall enjoying them from the early 2000s. Winemaker Steve Rogstad has helped put Cuvaison on the national map with his production of great quality and value Chardonnay. Founded back in 1969, Cuvaison acquired 400 acres of highly prized land north of San Pablo Bay in the Los Carneros district of Napa Valley in 1979. This site is very cool for the region and has a great deal of fog and maritime influence. The founders saw great potential for capturing world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here.
The 2020 wines by Cuvaison have been fantastic. I have not noticed any smoke influence in these wines. Don’t miss on the 2020 Cuvaison ‘Hedon’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is rich and unctuous with a smooth texture and glorious length. This one is sure to satisfy any Chardonnay lover. which is soft and elegant with classic Carneros tension and salty undertones. I adore the new 2019 Cuvaison ‘Diablo’ Syrah (OB, 93) which shows awesome salty and savory tones with a soft mouthfeel. Learn more about this outstanding producer at https://www.cuvaison.com and here are the killer top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir releases by Cuvaison.
2020 Cuvaison ‘Hedon’ Chardonnay- The gorgeous ‘Hedon’ is a utterly fabulous Estate Vineyard bottling by winemaker Steve Rogstad. Stored for 18 months in a combination of French and American oak, Immediately appealing, this offers lemon zest dusted brioche with creme brûlée and shortbread notes on the palate. Finishing long, with good viscosity, texture and verve, this beautiful Chardonnay is irresistible now and will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2022-2032- 94
2019 Cuvaison ‘Arcilla’ Merlot- The 2020 ‘Arcilla’ Merlot was stored for 22 months in French oak (50% new) prior to bottling. This is fleshy but also very fresh, as the wine comes off texturally appealing. Cocoa powder dusted red cherry, black currants and tobacco leaf notes combine with dusty soils on the palate. Refined, rich and absolutely fabulous in its flashy youth, the 2020 ‘Arcilla’ will easily cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2022-2037- 93
2019 Cuvaison ‘Diablo’ Syrah- The 2020 ‘Diablo’ by Cuvaison comes from their estate vineyard in the Carneros region. Smoked brisket, black olives and menthol notes, with blackberry coulis all mark the nose. The palate is rich and viscous with bright underlying acidity. Finishing long, this is gorgeous and dense Syrah that will age brilliantly for a decade or more. Drink 2022-2032- 93