The Spottswoode estate vineyard in St. Helena is one of the Napa Valley’s greatest treasures. Early on Spottswoode sold its grapes to a number of high-profile wineries, but turned to production of Cabernet under its own label at the encouragement of the likes of Dan Duckhorn and legendary winemaker Tony Soter. If Napa had a classification system similar to the 1855 model in Bordeaux, Spottswoode would be a First Growth by any reasonable measure. The 2017 vintage is a classic Spottswoode, impressively structured, beautifully balanced and showing its signature aromas of cassis, blackberry, blueberry and spice. Pricey, but if you’re ever going to splurge, this is the wine.
Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, St. Helena, Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
By Robert Whitley