The Mascot 2014 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 2014 Mascot Cabernet is produced from younger vines from the same vineyards used by Harlan, Bond, and Promontory (another stellar Bill Harlan venture).  The 2014 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: “An otherwise even growing season in 2014 was made memorable by an earthquake that struck the Napa Valley in the early-morning hours of August 24th. Dry conditions that normally prevail at that time of year were unexpectedly altered; the geologic event had shifted the water table to the extent that many seasonal streams began to flow once again. This unusual circumstance brought unaccustomed moisture from the depths and, with it, renewed energy to many of the soils throughout the valley. In the wake of this phenomenon, we noticed subtle changes to the younger vines of BOND, Harlan Estate, and Promontory, which grew more vibrant as harvest approached. The resulting wine reflects this vibrance in its lift and flow across the palate, with its quality ringing true to the pedigree of its parent sites. Red fruit and baking spice intermingle on the nose, while on entry, the wine is soft, gently accelerating as it reveals athletic structure and shape, culminating in transparency and poise.”