2012 Bond Quella

Bond is an Oakville, California, winery that makes widely acclaimed single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons based on an unusual business model. Founded in the late 1990s by H. William Harlan, who in 1984 founded Harlan Estate, Bond uses grapes from five vineyards that Harlan does not own. The winery refers to its offerings as “a portfolio of wines that are diverse in their geographic representation…” The name Bond was selected to highlight the “bond” between Harlan, his winemaking team, which includes his longtime associate Robert Levy, director of winegrowing, and the independent growers who supply the grapes. Each of the “grand crus,” as Harlan calls his Bond wines, has been given a proprietary name, such as Vecina and Melbury, meaning that although the goal is to make Cabernet Sauvignons using only single vineyard grapes, Bond reserves the right to blend if necessary. Besides the “grand crus” Bond makes Matriarch, a second wine. The vineyards Bond leases are 7 to 10 acres each.

Howell Mountain AVA in Northeastern Napa Valley was the first of Napa Valley’s sub-appellations, earning its own designation in 1984, just a year after Napa Valley became an appellation. As the name suggests, the AVA is in one of the highest elevations in the area. Every vineyard in the appellation is at least 1,400 feet above sea level. Some vineyards are as high as 2,200 feet and because of their altitude most of the AVA’s vineyards receive more sun than vineyards at lower elevations, which are affected by fog from the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay. Howell Mountain was home to vineyards in the late 19th century, but winemaker Randy Dunn is considered the area’s most influential modern pioneer. Dunn moved to Howell Mountain in 1979, acquired property and began making exceptionally rich Cabernet Sauvignon. The AVA also grows Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. There are 600 vineyard acres within Howell Mountain AVA.