Mount Veeder Winery 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, California

A Mount Veeder harvest is a Zen-like art of moving across a three-dimensional chessboard. Take the uphill side of the vine only, the downhill side, or just the north, south, east, or west sections. They pick only what’s ready and at peak flavor and ripeness. It’s a complex endeavor and needs to be carved with precision, matching areas of the block that are at the same level of ripeness, and leaving other sites to mature another week or more. The resulting wines are rich and full of fruit flavors like ripe black cherry, blackcurrant, and plum that are interlaced with complex notes of sweet herbs and spice—a delicious wine made by hand.