THE WINE:

2018 was truly a winemakers’ vintage, and the quality of the resulting wines presents itself in bottle. Generous rainfall in February led to a late budbreak and extended flowering period. Beautiful and mild weather throughout spring and summer made for a healthy crop load. With no major heat spikes or weather events in the fall, winemakers were able to patiently wait to pick at optimal fruit ripeness.

TASTING NOTES:

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper Vineyard is another wine in this lineup that’s a dead ringer for a top wine from the Pessac-Léognan region of Bordeaux. Revealing a dense purple/plum color as well as classic Cabernet notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and gravelly earth, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It has enough fruit to be approachable today yet is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20-25+ years. Maturity: 2023-2050. Score – 98. (jebdunnuck.com, Jan. 27, 2021)

THE WINERY:

Missouri Hopper, one of Napa’s oldest vineyards, consists of 45 acres on the famed Oakville Bench. Purchased by Charles Hopper and given to his daughter Missouri in 1877, today it is owned by the Beckstoffer family. Wines from this vineyard consistently display a balance of power and refinement.