2006 Myriad Cellars Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Myriad Cellars in St. Helena is owned and run by Mike and Leah Smith. Mike is an assistant winemaker to Thomas Brown, one of Napa’s most acclaimed winemakers. Mike also makes his own Myriad wines from grapes sourced from prominent area vineyards, including Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard and Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard. Myriad makes Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon. The wines have received ratings in the mid- to high-90s from Wine Advocate and other reviews.

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.