1997 Robert Craig Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Robert Craig in Napa Valley was founded in 1992 when Robert Craig, a former general manager of The Hess Collection winery, struck out on his own. Craig wanted to make small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon from distinct Napa Valley appellations. Today the estate vineyard is a 9.5-acre parcel on Howell Mountain. Robert Craig also sources grapes from Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain, and other appellations. The estate’s Cabernet Sauvignons typically earn scores in the 90s. Robert Craig also produces Chardonnay and Zinfandel.

Mount Veeder AVA was established in 1993, though its origins as a wine producing district date to the 19th century. A German Presbyterian pastor named Peter Veeder was one of the first landowners in the area, and by 1864 one of his neighbors, a German sea captain named Stelham Wing, was producing wine commercially. The area continued to attract German agricultural entrepreneurs, some of whom established the estate that would later become the Christian Brothers Mont La Salle winery. Today the AVA includes about 1,000 acres of vineyards, most of them at relatively high altitudes. The Mayacamas vineyard, for instance, is at 2,400 feet. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

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.