We toured up to the top of Mt. Veeder and looked out at the morning sun. “You can’t usually see all the way to the bay” said Aaron Pott, who had taken me to this scenic lookout. “But today it is really clear” he said. My jaw dropped as I looked south, as you could see San Pablo Bay all the way from Mt. Veeder. It was an extraordinary view. A graduate of the famed University of California, Davis viticulture and enology program, Aaron Pott worked for many years in Bordeaux at famed houses Château Troplong Mondot and later became director of Château La Tour Figeac.
Originally from Oregon, Pott wanted to return to the Napa Valley and make world class Cabernet Sauvignon there, and served as Beringer’s “flying winemaker” making wine in France, Italy and Chile, later taking over as winemaker at St. Clement in 2001. Aaron then was honored to become winemaker at famed property Quintessa in 2004 which was the same year that he brilliantly purchased a 76 acre (.2 acres planted) property on Mt. Veeder and began to develop their own vineyards. 2007 marked the birth of Pott Wines and as the first vintage of Incubo was created.
I have loved these wines for years and have had a few chances to taste older wines. It was a great thrill to taste several older wines with Aaron as we talked about Napa vintages, Bordeaux wines and, of course, English Premier League soccer. One thing was clear from my tasting — Pott Wines age gracefully. For my palate the finest wine I tasted was the absolutely scintillating 2019 Pott Wines ‘Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which now has a few years of bottle age and is very slowly starting to shed some baby fat. This bottling is of course named after the only Bond film which did not feature Roger Moore or Sean Connery. The irony is that the movie is a total disappointment but these namesake wines go toe to toe with any Cabernet made in Napa.
It was a great but albeit brief visit with Aaron that was long overdue. As I sped off down the hill I thought with delight about these memorable wines and how they might taste in another Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://www.pottwine.com/ Here are my tasting notes for the new Pott Wines.
2017 Pott Wines Viognier- This 2017 Viognier shows serious concentration with good freshness. Layers of banana and starfruit combine with baking spices and pie crust notes on the palate. This is dense but has fantastic underlying finesse. Enjoy now and over the next several years. Pott whites age gracefully. Drink 2023-2029- 94
2022 Pott Wines Viognier- This wine will be released in February 2022. The wine was stored in all amphorae prior to bottling. The palate has great freshness alongside papaya alongside wet stone, and salty minerals on the palate. Finishing long this is gorgeous stuff that is already drinking beautifully. Drink 2023-2031- 94
2021 Pott Wines ‘Pour Ma Guele’ Carignan- The ‘Pour Ma Guele’ is sourced from old vine Carignan from the Green Valley. This shows plenty of alluring pure red fruits on the nose with red rose petals and yarrow notes. The palate is soft and inviting with a seamless texture and weightless effect. This is really well-done. Drink 2023-2031- 94
2018 Pott Wines ‘Kaliholmanok’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 Pott Wines ‘Kaliholmanok’ Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from a property developed by Aaron Pott, as this site is owned by the Ballard Family. The wine shows beautiful lavender and violet florals alongside huckleberry and dark chocolate shavings. The palate is unbelievably good, with serious weight and bright acidity, with a beautiful core of black fruits alongside sandalwood, coffee grounds and shades of black tea with exotic spices. The nuances here are really starting to sing. Finishing exceedingly long, enjoy now and over the next fifteen to twenty years to come. Drink 2023-2040- 98
2019 Pott Wines ‘Majesty’s Secret Service’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 Pott Wines ‘Majesty’s Secret Service’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a totally stunning wine that is a total head-turning monster right now. Literally displaying no rough edges, this is concentrated and also finesse-driven Cabernet Sauvignon that has rocky soil notes alongside a glorious core of black and blue fruits with menthol accents. Enjoy this captivating joyride now and over the next twenty years. Drink 2023-2043- 99
2014 Pott Wines ‘Incubo’ Red Wine- The 2014 ‘Incubo’ is very concentrated and polished on the mouth, loaded with dense chocolate and espresso ground flavors alongside silky tannins and a refined texture. Big and bold, with salty soils and rocky nuances, this is drinking beautifully now. Drink 2023-2038- 97