Napa Valley, California $48
(Wine Club Reorder – $42)
Emerson Brown originated during the harvest of 2005 when Keith Emerson and Brian Brown came together taking advantage of the excessively large crop that year. They were able to do a little horse-trading with growers who had too much fruit and get great prices on great grapes. As such, Emerson Brown was born and they have since made Napa Valley their playground, making a Napa Cab and a single vineyard Cab each year.
Keith is a Boston native with more than 20 vintages under his belt. He is one of the few winemakers who excels at crafting both Bordeaux and Burgundian varieties. Since 2005, he has focused his attention on his position as Director of Winemaking for Napa’s Vineyard 29. Brian earned his viticulture and enology degree from UC Davis and began working harvests with Iron Horse in 2001. As enologist of Trefethen Vineyards, he learned to make balanced vineyard driven wines that express fruit qualities over winemaker manipulations.
The Emerson Brown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep reddish purple and has aromas of kirsch, sassafras, currants, and tobacco leaf. The palate has a nice velvety viscosity and round powdery tannins. The mouthfeel is complimented by fresh acidity reminiscent of ripe raspberries. The finish is long and lingering with flavors of dried cherries, fennel bulb, vanilla wafers, and a touch of mocha. Scoring 92 points “this wine is textbook Napa chocolatey fruit, herbes de Provence, and spice aromatics as well as medium to full body, ripe sweet tannins, and terrific balance, It’s ideal for drinking over the coming decade.” – Jeb Dunnuck.
Superbowl Sunday is slowly approaching and for me that means snacks on snacks. Beef Jerky is the ultimate pairing with this cabernet. The chewiness of the jerky holds up to the tannin structure of the cab. The gaminess compliments the currants. Another game day pleasure is corn chips. Cheddar cheese corn chips pair well with the wine’s delicious cherry and currant flavors. Sour cream flavored chips also really make this cabernet sing on the palate. Bold intense flavors like cheddar and spice beg for a robust wine.
Jennie Kaplan Woodson – February 2021
Bacchus & Venus Wines 