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When Jack and Mary Novak moved their five children from San Diego to the quiet wine country village of St. Helena in 1972, the goal was a lifestyle change.
Jack sold his medical practice and the family purchased a 30-acre wine estate in the heart of the Napa Valley, which at that time was little more than a sleepy farming community north of San Francisco that probably had as many prunes planted as grapes.
Jack died an untimely death of a heart attack at age 44, but Mary carried on with the plan to grow grapes and sell them to local vintners. The estate, known as Spottswoode, quickly gained acclaim for the remarkable quality of its cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc.
Duckhorn Vineyards was one of the earliest clients and it was Dan Duckhorn, the proprietor, along with legendary winemaker Tony Soter, who encouraged Mary to make an estate wine under the Spottswoode banner.
The first vintage of cabernet was 1982. Soter made the wine and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.
The 2012 vintage, 30 years later but only recently released, was the finest fine wine I tasted in 2015 and hence I have chosen it to be Wine Talk Wine of the Year. It is but one of only a handful of wines from the past 25 years that I have awarded a perfect score of 100 points.
The winemaker for this brilliant effort from Spottswoode is Aron Weinkauf, who also oversees the vineyard side of the Spottswoode operation. Weinkauf is but the fifth winemaker in the history of the fabled winery and deserves kudos for his part in the making of this wine.
But it must be said, the brilliance of Spottswoode is the vineyard, and were it situated in the Medoc region of Bordeaux, there would surely be a movement to declare it a first growth.
Tasting Notes
Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer's enthusiasm for the recommended wine.
Spottswoode 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena ($165) -- From one of California's most important wine estates, the 2012 Spottswoode cabernet sauvignon is a monumental Napa Valley cabernet that is destined for a long and glorious life. This massive cabernet shows dark aromas of blackberry and cassis, with hints of wood spice and mocha, a note of cedar and fine, beautifully integrated tannins. The tension between ripeness and structure is exquisite, suggesting this vintage is likely to improve with age over the next 25 to 30 years. Rating: 100.
Mount Veeder Winery 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($44) -- This mountain-grown Napa Valley cabernet shows off the intrinsic quality that elevates Napa reds, and particularly cabernet, above the competition. Rich and ripe, this vintage of Mount Veeder delivers dark flavors of cassis and blackberry, with impressive weight and depth. A note of wood spice adds to its complexity, and the wine finishes with length and persistence. Rating: 95.
MacRostie 2013 Chardonnay, Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley ($46) -- MacRostie chardonnays have always been among California's finest. That's a given. But when you combine the MacRostie skill with this grape variety and one of California's legendary grape growers, it stands to reason the result will be magic in the glass. The 2013 MacRostie Dutton Ranch chardonnay is an outcome that was oh-so-predictable. This vintage exhibits an oily texture with notes of lemon curd and pear, notes of baking spice and lively acidity to take the edge off the richness. Beautifully done. Rating: 94.
Black Kite 2013 Pinot Noir, River Turn, Anderson Valley ($60) -- River Turn from this vintage impresses with its density and brooding earthiness. The fruit profile runs to the dark side, and there is a strong wood note that gives the wine warmth and a hint of spice. Yet there is every reason to think this wine has much more to give but will only express its buried treasure with considerable time in the cellar. This is a pinot to lay down for at least another two to five years. That's not advice you often hear in connection with most California pinot. Rating: 93.
Franciscan 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($28) -- Winemaker Janet Myers has been on a roll with her Franciscan wines for some years, and the 2013 vintage is no exception. The "regular" Napa Valley bottling of Franciscan cabernet defies the conventional wisdom that good Napa Valley cab can't be had for less than $40 a bottle. The 2013 exhibits excellent dimension and is beautifully extracted. It shows notes of blackberry and cassis and a hint of graphite. The grip on the back end bodes well for extended cellaring, but drinking-up near-term is an appealing option as well. Rating: 91.
Gary Farrell 2013 Chardonnay, Russian River Selection ($35) -- Gary Farrell's Russian River Selection chardonnay from the 2013 vintage offers classic aromas of baked apple and pear, with an overlay of lemon oil. This rich and complex chardonnay is ample on the palate, with layers of flavor, but manages all of that with a balanced style that makes it easy to pair with food, such as grilled swordfish or roast chicken. Rating: 90.
MacRostie 2013 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($34) -- The color is deceiving. On the lighter side, it suggests this vintage of the MacRostie Sonoma Coast might be on the thin side. On the contrary, the flavors of strawberry and raspberry are rich and vivid, with soft tannins and a hint of oak spice. A surprise, yes, but a very pleasant surprise. Rating: 90.
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