Benchmark Wine Cellar
Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Estate 2002
The Winery
Spottswoode
Established in 1882, Spottswoode is a historic, family-owned estate vineyard and winery located on the western edge of St. Helena in Napa Valley. Mary Weber Novak and her husband purchased the estate in 1972. After Jack died unexpectedly in 1977, Mary carried out their shared dream, and released Spottswoode’s first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1982, exactly one hundred years after the estate’s founding.
Now stewarded by second generation sisters, Beth Novak Milliken and Lindy Novak, Spottswoode is dedicated to producing a few wines in very limited quantities: Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Lyndenhurst. The winery's goal is to produce exceptional, well-balanced, structured wines that exhibit elegance, consistency, and the ability to age well.
Among the first to introduce organic farming practices in the Napa Valley in 1985, Spottswoode has been CCOF certified since 1992. The 40-acre Spottswoode Estate Vineyard is an ideal terroir for growing wine grapes. Situated on the apex of the Sulphur Creek fan, the alluvial soils comprised primarily of sandy clay loam provide superb drainage. The gap between the Mayacamas Range and Spring Mountain admits cooling maritime breezes that temper the sun’s heat, creating an ideal microclimate for winegrowing.
Summary
The Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Estate 2002 is a commendable example of a bold and structured California red. Produced from organically farmed estate vines, this wine reflects the rich heritage of a historic St. Helena estate. The 2002 vintage, noted for its small yields and high-quality fruit, showcases a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. It features a captivating aroma of blueberries, cassis, and white flowers, paired with deep, luscious flavors of jammy dark berries and chocolate. The tannins are ripe and well-integrated, providing a plush mouthfeel. This wine is currently drinking beautifully but possesses the potential for further aging due to its robust structure and complexity.
Tasting Notes
- WA100
- In 2002 very small yields produced only about 3,000 cases at 14.7% natural alcohol and a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. This wine is going from strength to strength since I first tasted it prior to bottling. Now a perfect wine, the incredible perfume of blueberries, black raspberries and cassis, along with white flowers and camphor is extraordinarily fragrant and intense. That is easily matched by the magnificent full-bodied richness and compellingly layered mouthfeel of this wine that is rich, full-bodied and a still youthful vintage that remains capable of another 25-30 years of cellaring. This is a dramatic vintage for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and it is always fascinating to taste a top winery’s 2001 and 2002 next to each other because they are both such great years. However, the 2002s tend to be the more flamboyant wines, and the 2001s the more structured and broodingly backward.
- WE92
- The estate is in St. Helena. The wine is dry, tannic and too young, an obvious cellar candidate. Those tannins mask the underlying core of black cherry, black currant and cocoa fruit. This is a lovely, fine Cabernet, rich and supple. Cellar Selection
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