Brandlin, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley (California) 2013

 Cuvaison named this wine for Henry Brandlin, who planted vines on the slopes of Mount Veeder in the 1920’s.  It’s a big boy, one where bright spice and charred oak don’t get in the way of the bold fruit at all.  Winemaker Steve Rogstad described the 38 acres where the fruit comes from as above the fogline, thus it’s not “bathed in moisturizer” and gets thick skinned, so the tannins need a little softening during élevage.  There’s no loss in character, and the wine is quite approachable now, though ten years or more in the cellar will continue to deepen the complex character.  Bravo!