Wine

Item Description

Spring Mountain Vineyard "Elivette" Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley -- one bottle of the 2009 and the 2011 vintages

About Elivette

The creation of Elivette, our signature wine, is overseen by winemaker Jac Cole and vineyard manager, Ron Rosenbrand, who capitalize on the diversity of Spring Mountain's complex vineyard. The austere mountain soils yield fewer than two tons of grapes per acre, yet the resulting wines reflect intense varietal character, deep color, supple tannin structure and bright acidity. To fully preserve the unique qualities of each vineyard block, the fruit from each is kept separate for fermentation and barrel aging. After selecting only the most elegant wines from specific barrels of the classic Bordeaux varietals, Elivette is blended to become the finest expression of Spring Mountain Vineyard.

2009 Vintage

Richness, concentration and balance are the hallmarks of wines from the Spring Mountain Vineyard in 2009. The 2009 vintage completes a three year drought cycle in Napa Valley. Due to low rainfall, yields for the red Bordeaux varieties that comprise Elivette were less than one ton of fruit per acre. Though fewer cases were made, the 2009 vintage is one of our recent favorites. Conditions in the vineyard allowed for the long hang time that ensures perfectly ripened fruit, a winemaker's dream.

Tasting Notes:  Abundant aromas of blackberry, cassis and smoky black cherry layer with spice notes of cinnamon and star anise, black tea and cola. A lush and silky entry reveals a graceful, structured wine of good size and weight. Well-integrated tannins shape a core of classic Spring Mountain cherry fruit with attending notes of mulberry, espresso and spice. The long, lingering finish echoes like a Cole Porter melody. The 2009 Elivette is quite approachable in its youth, and will benefit from 1-2 hours in a decanter before service. Drink 2012 to 2030.

2011 Vintage

The 2011 vintage was cool and late, with greater than average rainfall (63 vs 46 inch norm). Warm temperatures at harvest brought the grapes to full physiological maturity and gave the cabernet sauvignon and complementary varieties a bright and pure varietal character. The 2011 Elivette benefitted from fermentation in new Taransaud oak tanks, resulting in earlier tannin integration and approachability upon release. For the fourth consecutive vintage, yields were very low, only one ton per acre, as compared to the normal average of 1.5 tons.

Tasting Notes:  Evocative aromas of pure cabernet, red cherry and brambleberry meld with holiday spice, dark chocolate and caramel. The entry is rich, the plentiful dark fruit gently shaped by round tannins and enlivened by bright acidity into a complete, balanced wine. There is a powerful density to the mid-palate that resonates and leads to a lingering finish. The elegance of this vintage of Elivette makes it a lovely food companion. Delightful now, but a few years of cellaring will reveal its ultimate beauty. Drink 2014 to 2029.

About Spring Mountain Vineyard

Spring Mountain Vineyard is an 845-acre estate on the eastern slopes of Spring Mountain in Napa Valley. Only 225 acres of the estate are planted to vine, representing 135 discrete hillside vineyard blocks with many soil types, exposures, and microclimates. A substantial portion of the vineyard is planted in densities of over 4,000 vines per acre and trained to the ancient gobelet form, a vertical method invented by the Romans. Originally four contiguous 19th century vineyards, Miravalle, Alba, Chevalier and La Perla are now one vineyard producing exclusively estate grown wines.

Donors:  Ted and Kate Smith