Ashes & Diamonds Napa Valley Saffron Mountain Cuvée No.3 2018

The Saffron Vineyard on Mount Veeder is an excellent example of the perfect site managed by the right person. It’s a beautiful vineyard, nestled in the redwoods and high above the fog inversion line at an altitude of 457 metres. Daytime temperatures here can often be 10 degrees lower than on the valley floor. With a push from Kashy Khaledi, the vineyard is organically farmed by the passionate and committed owner, Lisa Chu (Khaledi convinced Lisa to up her prices for all her customers—including him—so that organic farming could be implemented, a move that quickly saw a dramatic improvement in soil health and the quality of fruit). Deep-rooted Bordeaux varietals were planted here in 2000, in thin soils comprised of uplifted marine sediment and fractured shale.

Part of the Mayacamas coastal range separating the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, Mount Veeder is said to grow the most characterful wines of the Napa “like a wild fish in a school of tank-raised trout”, as Matt Kramer once put it. And, while its reputation is one for robust, slow-maturing wines, Diana Snowden-Seysses’s choice of blend, her Burgundian eye and the Saffron Vineyard crop of small but beautifully balanced berries, infuses the natural power of the mountain with unusual silken grace. The 2018 is a blend of Merlot (59%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) and Cabernet Franc (18%). Once at the winery, the grapes were given a cold soak until native fermentation began. The wine matured for 19 months in French oak (30% new).

A more ebullient expression than its single-site compatriot, the Saffron has immediate appeal; bustling with energy, character and vibrant, charming expression. Shades of minerality weave through soft and supple fruits, velvety weight, warm spice tones and polished structures. It’s rich and silky without being overblown and finishes with finesse, grace and power. Fusing the explosive intensity of low-yielding Veeder fruit with impeccable freshness and focused tannin, decant it and drink over a couple of hours to taste the full magnitude of Mount Veeder in all its classically shaped form.