Michael-Scott
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
, Napa Valley
Mt. Veeder
95 Points - Chris Sawyer "Sommelier to the Stars"
Enchanting, energetic and engaging the moment the cork is pulled, and powerful, complex and elegant as it opens in the glass. For a brilliant introduction to Cabernet Sauvignon and its mountain-grown roots, the opening aromas of wild berries, black fig and ripe dark fruits are intertwined with hints of fresh mountain herbs, mineral, leather, savory spices, and cigar box. On the palate, the rich fruit flavors of dark cherry, ripe plum, blackberry, red currants and cassis are layered with notes of wild sage, dark chocolate truffle, cinnamon, clove, and a kiss of fine French oak which add depth and length to the finish.
The result is a wine that is silky smooth, naturally rich, vibrant, powerful and complex. In short, a true hillside gem that's approachable now and worthy of cellaring for 10+ years, if you can wait that long.
Recognized as one of the Napa Valley's most acclaimed winegrowing regions, Mt. Veeder is famous for producing age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon with rich, deep color and excellent structure.
Food Pairings
Earthy Cheeses · Charcuterie · Risotto with Wild Mushrooms · Eggplant Parmesan · Squid Ink Paella with Chorizo · Slow-roasted Prime Rib
Vintage
Up until Labor Day 2022, the weather had been relatively benign. Abundant winter rains at the end of 2021 and the start of 2022 alleviated the three-year drought. Budbreak was early, occurring in mid to late March or early April for most Bordeaux varieties. In fact, May, June, July, and August 2022 were about as smooth sailing as grape growing gets. The heatwave that came in the fall with the up and down temperatures, led producers to decide when to harvest the grapes. Wineries that made quick picking decisions were rewarded with well-balanced wines. The end result for many were a brilliant series of stylish, well-structured Cabernet Sauvignon that are opulent and showy at first, becoming richer and more complex as flavors develop in the glass.
Mt. Veeder
Hidden on the heavily wooded slopes at the southern end of the Mayacamas Mountain range, the high-quality fruit from Cabernet Sauvignon vines grown in the Mt. Veeder appellation have been used to produce remarkable red wines loaded with power, finesse, and true mountain character. At high elevations ranging from 1,500 to 2,400 feet, the shallow soils are composed of a mixture of sandstone and shale from ancient sea floor, clay, and volcanic matter. Due to its close proximity to cool climate Los Carneros and San Pablo Bay, the region has a longer growing season and lowest yields of all the hillside appellations of Napa Valley.
Limited Release
This vintage and commemorates the 28th year of the boutique Michael-Scott brand. This limited release is made with ultra-premium fruit grown in the winegrowing region of Howell Mountain in the Napa Valley.
Winemaker: Michael Quinn
Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley
Barrel Aging: 20 Months in French Oak
Vintage: 2022
Alcohol: 14.7%
Download Full Technical Sheet & Cellar Notes
This year marks the 28th year of Michael-Scott Wines, a boutique Napa-based brand founded by Michael Quinn in 1996. Along the way, Quinn’s devotion to crafting world class wines have earned the respect of critics, sommeliers, retailers, and a long string of top medals at high-profile wine competitions. The secret of their success starts with working with high-quality grapes and paying close attention to detail during the fruit’s transformative journey from the vine to the bottle.
Founded in 1996, Michael Quinn created a boutique winery located on the westside of the town of Napa, specializing in select small lots of mostly Napa/Sonoma Zinfandels and Napa Cabernet from fruit grown with sustainable and eco-friendly techniques. His award winning wines can be found in some of the top restaurants and wine shops in the country.
The production lots for MICHAEL-SCOTT WINERY are small (typically 400-600 cases of each) compared to what most commercial brands produce. While the Brown's Valley property located just to the west of the town of Napa is bonded, they produce our wines at Artesa Winery, in the Carneros Region, only a few miles from the Brown's Valley property. Total production is under 1,500 Cases.
Michael Quinn, Sr., a Napa native, began his career in Viticulture, at a young age in 1975 with Charles Krug / Mondavi Family. Five years later he was Vineyard Manager of the historic Stanly Ranch in the early 80’s growing Pinot Noir for Beaulieu Vineyards and Domaine Chandon. From there Michael moved into the sales and marketing side of the business with a fine wine distributor in Northern California. After that he consulted and handled national sales for a number of smaller Northern California wineries. In 1996, Michael-Scott became a reality. Michael, the sole owner, is mostly involved in the day to day operations with an emphasis on Production, National Sales and Marketing. Being a small winery Michael is required to a number of different hats each day to produce the fines wines from carefully selected fruit sources.
Learn more at www.michaelscottwines.net
As a reminder, due to legal restrictions on shipments of wine and other alcoholic beverages, we are only permitted to ship to the following states:
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WY.
Temperature Control Shipping
All Central, Midwest & Eastern orders ship via temp control truck.
