Uncharted Land – 2022 Mountain Blend & 2024 Ribolla Gialla

Have you ever known a place incredibly well, yet not been able to tell someone the actual address? Or tried giving people directions to a place with ridiculous details such as “turn left after the 4th tree on the right”? For me, our Mt. Veeder Estate is such a place. Uncharted, raw, and beautiful in its native state.

In an era when we all have come to rely heavily on technology, and specifically our phones, the idea of going to a place where you cannot rely on GPS navigation seems novel. Our Mt. Veeder Estate is not a place where you can go, you must be taken there. The journey is worth the switchbacks, dirt roads, and four gates to ultimately emerge from a small forest to see one of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever seen.

Similar to the directions to traverse to our Mt. Veeder Estate, farming this hillside vineyard is no easy feat. The elevation and steep hillsides make tractor work extremely difficult or impossible in certain blocks, yet our vineyard crew gives these vines the same meticulous attention to detail and care as our vineyards on the Oakville bench. The resulting wines from this Estate are reflective of the site’s character and intensity, and our team’s dedication to crafting something truly unique from the site.

With only 1.5 tons harvested, the 2024 Crossroads Ribolla Gialla is the first vintage we’ve been able to exclusively age this varietal in a Stockinger German/Austrian puncheon. This once used, neutral vessel with a larger volume to oak ratio, allowed for a more balanced oak integration. The resulting wine is both vivid and textured, offering notes of tangerine, pink grapefruit, and underripe mango with a compelling texture with slight grip and weight—incredibly versatile with food and delightful on its own.

With an equal number of vines committed to red wine varietals as white on Mt. Veeder, we’re pleased to release the 2022 Crossroads Mountain Blend. Elegantly woodsy with subtle hints of dried sage complementing the medley of blueberries and boysenberries, this wine is concentrated and balanced, maintaining elegance while showing a strong and distinct mountain tannin finish. Composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec, the 2022 vintage is a true blend in which each varietal plays a pivotal role in the development of the overall structure and flavor profile.

Whenever I visit our Mt. Veeder Estate or have either of these wines, I’m reminded of the importance to explore the unknown. My Dad literally discovered this property while exploring the backroads of Napa Valley in the 1990s – he never met a closed gate he wasn’t willing to open and take a chance on what would be beyond it. Coincidentally, that’s how he met Robin Williams, but that’s a story for a different day.

In the meantime, I encourage you to secure your allocation of these limited production wines and explore the unknown. Turn off your navigation from time to time, you never know the treasures you might unveil. 

All the best,

Samantha Rudd