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Wine Description
The Story
Spottswoode is a very well managed estate with 16.20 hectares of organic farmed vineyards (since 1985 – they are now moving towards biodynamic practices) at the foot of Spring Mountain just west of the small hamlet St Helena in Napa Valley. It’s mainly planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (15.20 hectares) with a few of the in total 23 small blocks planted with Cabernet Franc and also Petit Verdot, as well as one hectare of Sauvignon Blanc. Spottswoode makes one of the finest sauvignons of Napa Valley, it’s well worth looking for.
Besides the first seven vintages since the founding of Spottswoode in 1982, when Mark Aubert was the winemaker, this has always been an “only women vineyard and winery”. It’s own by Beth Novak-Milliken and her mother Mary Novak, and wines have been made by the talented winemakers Mia Klein (1990-1995) and Rosemary Cakebread (1996-2005) and since then by Jennifer Williams who came to Spottswoode as assistant winemaker already in 2002.
The winery is relatively small, but allows the winemaking team to ferment each block separate in the 17 small stainless steel tanks and three cement vats, as well as three cement eggs that are all used for the red wines.
“If Château Margaux were in Napa Valley, it would be Spottswoode.”
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
