The 2010 Cappella impresses for its depth and complexity. A higher-toned register replete with white floral notes adds considerable refinement. Blackberries, cassis, spices and dark fruit are some of the notes that take shape in the glass. The 2010 is articulate and beautifully defined from the first taste. A last blast of fruit saturates the palate on the finish. This is a hugely promising wine from David Abreu and Brad Grimes. . The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot and 2 % Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035. (Not yet released)I stopped by Abreu twice this fall. The first time I tasted the 2008s, 2009s and 2010s. The second time I watched the work on the sorting table and tasted a few 2011s from tank. Both tastings left a deep impression. Brad Grimes is one of the most brilliant winemakers in Napa Valley. He seems guided by a sense of intuition married to experience rather than the more technical approach that is quite common throughout the Valley. Co-fermentations are quite common. Grimes isn’t going to lose any sleep if a few jack stems make it into the fermentation tanks. The winery itself is as immaculate as it could possibly be. Simply put, these are some of the most beautiful wines being made in Napa Valley today. The 2008s are big and massively tannic, while the 2009s are much more sexy and silky. The 2010s combine intense, rich fruit and huge tannins. All three vintages are exceptional, but my preference is for 2009 and 2010. Incidentally, two of the greatest wines I tasted this year were the 2001 Madrona Ranch and Thorevilos, both of which remain infants.

The 2009 Cappella may turn out to be a bit more approachable young than the 2008. Certainly the integration of fruit and tannin seems more harmonious. Graphite, smoke, spices, flowers and dark red fruit flow from this huge yet seamless wine. Today the 2009 is dazzling and totally seductive. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034. (Not yet released)I stopped by Abreu twice this fall. The first time I tasted the 2008s, 2009s and 2010s. The second time I watched the work on the sorting table and tasted a few 2011s from tank. Both tastings left a deep impression. Brad Grimes is one of the most brilliant winemakers in Napa Valley. He seems guided by a sense of intuition married to experience rather than the more technical approach that is quite common throughout the Valley. Co-fermentations are quite common. Grimes isn’t going to lose any sleep if a few jack stems make it into the fermentation tanks. The winery itself is as immaculate as it could possibly be. Simply put, these are some of the most beautiful wines being made in Napa Valley today. The 2008s are big and massively tannic, while the 2009s are much more sexy and silky. The 2010s combine intense, rich fruit and huge tannins. All three vintages are exceptional, but my preference is for 2009 and 2010. Incidentally, two of the greatest wines I tasted this year were the 2001 Madrona Ranch and Thorevilos, both of which remain infants.

The 2008 Cappella bursts onto the palate with black cherries, smoke, menthol and licorice. This is a decidedly powerful, tannic Cappella that is going to need quite a bit of bottle age. Layers of fruit build effortlessly to the intense, deeply expressive finish. With time in the glass, the wine’s potential becomes quite evident. In 2008 Cappella is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033+. (Not yet released)I stopped by Abreu twice this fall. The first time I tasted the 2008s, 2009s and 2010s. The second time I watched the work on the sorting table and tasted a few 2011s from tank. Both tastings left a deep impression. Brad Grimes is one of the most brilliant winemakers in Napa Valley. He seems guided by a sense of intuition married to experience rather than the more technical approach that is quite common throughout the Valley. Co-fermentations are quite common. Grimes isn’t going to lose any sleep if a few jack stems make it into the fermentation tanks. The winery itself is as immaculate as it could possibly be. Simply put, these are some of the most beautiful wines being made in Napa Valley today. The 2008s are big and massively tannic, while the 2009s are much more sexy and silky. The 2010s combine intense, rich fruit and huge tannins. All three vintages are exceptional, but my preference is for 2009 and 2010. Incidentally, two of the greatest wines I tasted this year were the 2001 Madrona Ranch and Thorevilos, both of which remain infants.Fax (707) 963-5104

The 2007 Cappella is a riveting effort displaying a dense blue/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of blueberries, camphor, incense, creme de cassis and a distinctive floral scent. It possesses tremendous ripeness, full-bodied richness, incredible purity and a singular style that stands out from the crowd. This flawless, seamless 2007 should drink well for 20-25 years. David Abreu’s reputation was established as the superstar viticulturist for most of the rich and famous Napa Valley proprietors, but my familiarity with him derives from the extraordinary wines he produces. Today he has four remarkable parcels, three of which are of first-growth quality. From a total of 70 acres, Abreu continues to sell much of the fruit from these vineyards to other wineries. The four vineyards include two St. Helena sites, the Cappella (6 acres) and the Madrona Ranch, which is situated on the lowest slopes of Spring Mountain. He also owns an 18 acre parcel high on Howell Mountain and a large tract of land he co-owns with Ric Forman known as the Thorevilos Vineyard, which is in the eastern hills of Napa Valley. Over the last five or six years, Abreu’s wines, which all spend about 24 months in French oak, have seen increasing amounts of Cabernet Franc added to the blend. He essentially uses only Bordeaux varietals, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with smaller amounts of Petit Verdot and Merlot. The only problem with these extraordinary efforts is their limited availability. Production remains less than 500 cases for each of the four selections, but they are about as good as it gets for Bordeaux varietals in Napa ... or anywhere else in the world. The blend for the Cappella cuvee tends to run about 60-70% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest percentage of this varietal in any of these Abreu wines) and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc and a small amount of Petit Verdot. The Madrona Ranch offering is generally a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, a very high percentage (35-40%) of Cabernet Franc and small quantities of Petit Verdot and Merlot. I am increasingly impressed with Abreu’s Howell Mountain Proprietary Red wine. The blend tends to be about two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, 20-25% Cabernet Franc and 10-15% Merlot and Petit Verdot. A completely different animal than the Cappella or Madrona Ranch (which both come from lower elevation vineyards), this cuvee reveals extraordinary notes of crushed rocks and a liqueur of minerals in a steely, full-bodied, powerful style that possesses both intensity and finesse. Becoming one of the top half dozen or so vineyards in all of Napa Valley is Thorevilos. The blend for this cuvee is generally an intriguing combination of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35-40% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot with just a tiny dollop of Merlot. One thing that stands out about Abreu’s 2009s is how precocious and evolved they are without sacrificing their power, richness and purity.

The 2006 Cappella (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Petit Verdot) exhibits an incredibly dense purple color as well as abundant aromas of sweet cassis, chocolate, espresso, charcoal, spice, and licorice, deep full-bodied flavors, and remarkable elegance. It comes across like a hypothetical blend of a Graves and St.-Emilion. I can’t close without saying that it is unfortunate that the story of viticulturists like David Abreu, who is probably more meticulous and dedicated both to his sites and those he consults with than any other viticulturist I have met in Europe or California, combined with his love of French wines and his obsessive pursuit of world-class wines at his own sites, is a story that still hasn’t been told by enough people. Abreu, among many others, is why California has undergone a historic qualitative revolution over the last twenty years. Yet, in many elitist wine circles, it continues to be ignored despite the overwhelming evidence that many California vineyards are better managed than their European counterparts, and the winemaking and vineyard sites are potentially even grander. Heresy in some circles I know, but as always, the truth is in the bottle. In vino veritas! What a line-up of wines from superstar viticulturist David Abreu and his talented winemaking assistant, Brad Grimes! Abreu draws fruit from four sites that he owns partially or completely - the Capella Vineyard in St. Helena, his 12-acre parcel on Howell Mountain, the Madrona Ranch vineyard slightly northwest of Capella on the lower slopes of Spring Mountain, and the extraordinary Thorevilos Vineyard, which he owns with Ric Foreman. The cuvee with the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Abreu’s 12-acre vineyard on Howell Mountain. David Abreu is proud of this vineyard as it is planted in the red Aiken soils of the region. In addition to approximately 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, the blend includes tiny percentages of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The amount of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot included in these wines appears to be rising dramatically as the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon drops as Abreu and Grimes recognize the potential for Cabernet Franc in selected Napa sites. Its inclusion gives a wine far more singularity and complexity. However, these are all remarkable wines of great richness and individuality from what I’m sure history will confirm in 50-100 years, some extraordinary grand cru-like vineyard sites. There are about 200-250 cases of each of these cuvees, and, as most readers know, about the only way you will latch on to a bottle or two is to get on the winery’s mailing list. The three vintages of Capella tend to be mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, but also 20-30% Cabernet Franc and some Petit Verdot are included in the blend. Abreu and Grimes are looking to make Capella their St.-Emilion statement for Napa Valley. As utterly profound as all Abreu’s wines tend to be, one vineyard that seems to just knock me over is the site David Abreu co-owns with Ric Foreman, Thorevilos. The percentages of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot have jumped dramatically, and, like its siblings, it is no longer entitled to be called a Cabernet Sauvignon, but rather is a Proprietary Red.