Region: Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California

Vintage: 2019

Composition: 100% Cabernet Franc

History: La Jota Vineyard Co. is the historic Napa Valley winery founded in 1898 by wine pioneer Fredrick Hess. Staffed with the original stone cellar, La Jota produces a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from its Estate Vineyards winery and the nearby WS Keyes Estate Vineyard, nestled deep in a wooded mesa atop Howell Mountain. With its windswept location well above the fog line, the climate is cool and even, with abundant sunlight. Austere volcanic soils force the vines to struggle, giving rich and concentrated flavors to the wines. In a timeless mountain setting, La Jota Vineyard Co. embodies a combination of site and soil, people of diverse backgrounds, and over a century of Napa Valley history.

Tasting Notes:

Star anise, pain de grille and raspberry jam are delicately interlaced on the nose. The tannins are pronounced but integrated and the balanced acidity drives a long dense finish.