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Summer 2021
Pursue the Possible
ESTATE GROWN
Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Inaugural Release
A Milestone in our Journey to Craft Exceptional Single Vineyard Wines
In the rugged Mayacamas mountain terrain above the fog line at the southern end of Mt. Veeder lies the first-growth Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard at elevations of 650-960 ft. Nearly a decade after acquiring the 115 acres and years of patient observation and collection of precise data on the estate’s microclimates and soil composition, the best 15 acres were meticulously planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Chardonnay by the team who also farms our Melanson Vineyard on Pritchard Hill.
The stunning vineyard is divided into 18 micro blocks. The 20,934 vines are grafted on five different rootstocks with seven varietal clones: Cabernet Sauvignon 15, 30, 169, and 685 and Chardonnay Old Vine Wente, Montrachet, and Robert Young. All heritage clones were intensely researched and carefully selected to yield extraordinary fruit. The small blocks give winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown full control of all aspects of farming quality, in order to yield an exceptional wine greater than the sum of its parts.
Inspired by a notion of rarity based on disciplined weighing and measuring of choices, Pulido~Walker’s “Pursue the Possible” approach to stewardship and winemaking on the Mt. Veeder Estate produces wine with a distinct personality that reflects its place of origin.
Save the Date: Tuesday, August 3, 2021
2018 Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Inaugural Release
Mark Pulido and Donna Walker are immensely gratified that right out of the gate, this Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is every inch the thoroughbred, easily rivaling the wine from its sister vineyard on Pritchard Hill and a welcomed companion.
We could not have ordered a more ideal growing season for the debut vintage of the Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Ample spring rains, mild summer sun, and no major heat spikes allowed fruit to hang for one of the longest stretches in recent memory. 2018 will likely go down as one of those memorable Napa Valley vintages born of an entirely unmemorable growing season.
The Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard is meticulously planted, drawing on years of data collection prior to putting a single vine in the ground. It has been quite the voyage of discovery shepherding this wine from the initial planting to the release of this inaugural vintage. We decided to harvest by clone and ferment the four wine lots individually. It was unanimous: the lots from clones 15 and 685 were standouts.
Much like a European vineyard, this one is a patchwork of micro blocks, some as small as half an acre. The peaks and swales in a mountain vineyard that can make for uneven ripening remain unplanted here, allowing for truly consistent exposure. The result is a Cabernet Sauvignon unlike any other we’ve tasted from Mt.Veeder—nothing else is quite this complete.
There is none of the angularity in this wine that mountain fruit can sometimes produce. What dominates is luxurious black fruit, supported by an abundance of perfectly ripe, unobtrusive tannin. One of the hallmarks of better wines is that they drink well young, and that is certainly the case with the 2018 Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is packed with beautifully balanced proportions of fruit tannins and acidity, which will only make it more luxurious as it ages.
—Thomas Rivers Brown, Winemaker
WEBINAR: Live with Proprietors Mark Pulido and Donna Walker along with Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown
“Pursue the Possible: Defining Mt. Veeder”
Join Thomas Rivers Brown and Mark Pulido & Donna Walker as they share insights from their journey to develop the Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard to crafting the inaugural 2018 Pulido~Walker Cabernet Sauvignon from this remarkable site.
Wednesday, August 4, at 4:00 p.m. PST / 7:00 p.m. EST
Zoom link will be provided to registrants prior to event
Wine Advocate: 98+ points
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes barreling out of the glass with bold notes of blackcurrant pastilles, blueberry pie, warm plums and crushed rocks with hints of fragrant earth, black truffles and olives. Full-bodied, rich and packed with juicy black fruit, it has a firm, grainy texture and lively backbone, with a long-lingering minty kick on the finish.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, February 26, 2021