Region: St Helena, Napa Valley, California

Vintage: 2022

Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon 

History: Mending Wall Winery is a partnership between three owners: Frank Dotzler (one of the co-founders of Outpost Winery), Mark Pulido and Donna Walker (owners of Pulido-Walker Wine), and renowned winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. The name “Mending Wall” was taken from a Robert Frost poem of the same name. There is a verse in the poem, “Good fences make good neighbors.” And that is part of the philosophy of this winery. They draw from vineyards throughout the Napa Valley, often from small family growers, and take the best fruit from the valley floor and hillside to craft premium, small-production wines. Thomas is the youngest winemaker to receive a score of 100 points from Robert Parker. (He’s won more than 20 since.) It received two scores out of 100 points from Wine Spectator, the first American winemaker to receive a perfect score. 

Tasting Notes: 

Deep red-fruit with supple spice undertones and a crisp minerality accurately expresses this gravelly vineyard site. This vintage, the Tournahu Vineyard fared extremely well due to the large cross-arm training for the vines, providing abundant shade protection for the clusters. The result in the glass is a sophisticated, balanced wine with a fine tannin structure. The front of the palate expresses rich fruit notes framed by pleasing acidity, finishing with breathy floral notes.