2014 Acumen Peak Cabernet Sauvignon

Acumen is a new, artisanal project from three Napa Valley wine stars. Denis Malbec is Acumen’s winemaker. Malbec grew up at Château Latour and worked there as cellar master and enologist in the 1990s before moving to Napa Valley, where he has made wine for estates including Kapscandy and Blankiet. Viticulturists for Acumen are Steve Matthiasson and Garrett Buckland. Matthiasson, who makes wine with his wife under his own Matthiasson label, was the San Francisco Chronicle’s 2014 Winemaker of the Year, and he is widely seen as one of the leaders of a group of California winemakers producing what they call more “balanced” wines. The trio is making wine from 116 acres in the Atlas Peak AVA. Acumen produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab blends and Sauvignon Blanc.

Atlas Peak AVA is perched above the Stags Leap AVA to the northeast of the city of Napa. Elevation ranges from 760 to 2,600 feet, and temperatures are up to 15 degrees cooler in the Atlas Peak vineyards compared with vineyards in the valley. There are 1,500 vineyard acres planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The appellation was named for Atlas Peak, which, at 2,633 feet above sea level, is the highest peak in the area.

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.