2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder

Deep bright ruby. Open-knit aromas of black raspberry, truffle, spices and smoked meat. Rich and flavorful, offering enticing sweetness to the expressive flavors of blackberry, boysenberry and sweet spices. The tannins are a touch dry but much less brutal than usual for this bottling--and for Mount Veeder. Due to some incidence of rot (more on Mount Veeder than on Howell Mountain), Sean Capiaux did just a one-day cold soak and inoculated the musts in 2011; normally the cold soaks last four or five days and the wines are fermented with wild yeasts. The result, he said, was "very clean wines."

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is even better. Surprisingly full-bodied for a 2011 with lots of blueberry and black berry fruit, hints of licorice and incense, it hits the palate with a round, supple texture, plenty of glycerin, sweet fruit and low acidity. Enjoy it over the next 7-8 years. I tasted two Cabernet Sauvignons from O’Shaughnessy, one of my favorite under-the-radar Napa estates. Some terrific wines have been produced (the 2007s and 2008s for example), and these two 2011s performed well. Tel. (707) 965-2898

Bright full ruby. Subdued but complex nose hints at plum, boysenberry, cassis, tobacco leaf, coffee, mocha, leather and flint. A bit fleshier today than the Howell Mountain offering, showing surprising mid-palate sweetness to its dark berry and leather flavors. Turns more savory and dry on the back end, finishing with granular tannins. Sean Capiaux noted that the estate "did some strategic picks" during the late harvest, and wondered if some of the fruit didn't come in a bit too early.