Today we share one of the brilliant talents in the Napa Valley. Aaron Pott built an illustrious winemaking resume as he took his studies at University of California, Davis, across the pond to Bordeaux. Pott was chosen to serve as winemaker at famed Right Bank house Château Troplong Mondot and later director of Château La Tour Figeac. 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 was then named winemaker at 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. This has been an incredibly popular brand, producing wines that have a beginning, middle and an end, with power and beautiful finesse. This is far from overblown Napa.
These wines are incredibly consistent. I love the 2023 Pott Wines ‘Dynamite with a Laser Beam’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is marvelously earthy and has dense dark fruits. Check out the 2023 Pott Wines ‘Stacked’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 97) which is dense and delicious stuff coming from the Remedium Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://www.pottwine.com/ Here are my tasting notes for the new Pott Wines.
2023 Pott Wines ‘Dynamite With A Laser Beam’ Pinot Noir- The amazing 2023 ‘Dynamite With A Laser Beam’ comes from the Elswick Vineyard in the Anderson Valley. Damp salty soils and white truffle shavings mark the nose alongside boysenberry fruit tones. The palate is rich and elegant with serious tension and a terrific flavor density. This is layered and complex Pinot Noir that has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2025-2037- 95
2023 Pott Wines ‘Red Wine Blend’ Red Wine- The 2023 Pott Wines ‘Red Wine Blend’ Red Wine offers heady red and dark fruits with chocolate fudge and fresh sage notes. Medium to full-bodied, with plenty of finesse, enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2023 Pott Wines ‘Lagier Meredith Vineyard’ Syrah- The outstanding 2023 Pott Wines ‘Lagier Meredith Vineyard’ Syrah shows loads of tension with salty and stony nuances alongside dense fig and dark chocolate notes. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2023 Pott Wines ‘Lagier Meredith Vineyard’ Zinfandel- Th really good 2023 Pott Wines ‘Lagier Meredith Vineyard’ Zinfandel shows bramble, black cherry compote and loganberry preserves on the palate, with plenty of stony minerals. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2032- 93
2023 Pott Wines ‘Stacked’ Red Wine- The 2023 ‘Stacked’ Red Wine comes from the Remedium Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Inky in the glass, this offers amazing flavor density with black currants, tar, anise and creme de cassis on the palate. Full-boded and delicious, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 97