The Mascot 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Here’s a wine with some amazing lineage produced by Will Harlan heir to the Harlan Empire and son of Bill.  The 2015 Mascot Cabernet is produced from younger vines from the same vineyards used by Harlan, Bond, and Promontory (another stellar Bill Harlan venture).  The 2015 Mascot is a multifaceted wine that shows well young and will age beautifully. On the nose you are greeted by black stone fruit and a touch of chocolate. On the palate this youngster offers up a lush and full body that is loaded with more black fruit, bitter chocolate and coffee notes ending with long, gorgeous silky grained tannins.

Winery Notes: “The 2015 growing season began uncommonly cloudy and cool, particularly for a year with very low precipitation. These conditions during bloom resulted in significantly smaller yields of fruit from the younger vines of BOND, Harlan Estate, and Promontory. The summer months, in contrast, conjured stretches of intense warmth that lasted into autumn, spurring one of our earlier harvests to date. The profile of the vintage—much to our surprise—stayed true to the nature of its chilly beginnings, rather than the dry heat of its maturation environs. A deep, meditative core radiates an inner vibrancy through swells of stirringly fresh aromas. The glow of summer sunlight is felt in this otherwise cerebral wine through strength and rounded resonance on the palate. With five years of aging, the pedigree of this vintage begins to emerge with the friendly energy of a loyal companion.”