Spring Mountain Vineyard, Elivette, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain 2012

Ample spring rains led vines to produce ample yields. Although this was a year marked by a transition in the winemaking team, with assistance from consultant winemakers, there’s no misstep here, and the wine is seamless. Full-bodied and expressive with showy oak spices transitioning to blackberry fruit and black olives on the nose. Sultry, silky dark blue and black fruit glides over the palate, mingling with a plethora of fragrant wild herbs, blood orange acidity, and mocha. A framework of firm, elongated tannins will help this wine continue evolving over another decade of cellaring.