1996 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon

Philip Togni Vineyard was founded in 1983 by Philip Togni and his wife Brigitta. The 11-acre estate is located in the Spring Mountain District of Napa Valley. The vineyards are high, at 2,000 feet, and the family estate produces only about 2,000 cases of wine annually. Philip Togni received his oenology degree from the University of Bordeaux, where he studied under the legendary Emile Peynaud. He worked at Chateau Lascombes before moving to California and working for Chalone and Chappellet. The couple’s daughter Lisa, who has a graduate degree in business and has worked in the wine trade, is also a partner. Robert M. Parker Jr. notes that Togni’s flagship Cabs are “some of the most concentrated in California…..this may be the Chateau Latour of Napa Valley.”

Spring Mountain AVA is above the town of St. Helena on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains. There is no actual Spring Mountain, but the name has traditionally been used for the area, which includes many streams and springs. Spring Mountain was awarded appellation status in 1993 and it includes about 1,000 vineyard acres. Vineyard elevations are high, from 400 to 2,600 feet above sea level. Because of the altitude of most vineyards, which are above the fog line, mornings become warm earlier than vineyards on the valley floor, though the afternoons are cooled by maritime winds. The result is an exceptionally long growing season. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape by acreage, followed by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.