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Anthem 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley, CA, USA
A new label with minute production, we were happy to discover Anthem Winery during a hefty round of blind tasting at DECANTsf. With a passion for wine and a desire to produce small quantities of handcrafted, ultra-premium wines from the most distinctive and promising vineyards in the Napa Valley, Proprietors Julie and Justin Arbuckle formed Anthem Winery in 2009. Anthem’s guiding principle is simple: only the highest quality, from vine to bottle.
Farming: Sustainable with organic methods
Winemaker: Jeff Ames
Varieties: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cab Franc, 7% Petit Verdot
Terroir: Estate Vineyard Manager is John Anthony Truchard. Vines planted in 2007 at high elevations on Mt Veeder, in well drained, steep soils known as Mayacamas Series, a mix of volcanic and sedimentary deposits.
Vinification: Whole berry fermentation in 100% French, 100% new. Native yeast. 93 cases made. 15.6% ABV
Aging: 18 months in barrel, 27 months in bottle before release, unfined, unfiltered
Tasting Notes: Dense and explosive, this wine warms you with a sense of familiarity and comfort. Purple plums, blueberries and wet tobacco are underscored by deep notes of vanilla, hints of flinty, crushed rock and purple flowers. The finish is long and chocolaty.
Scores: 93 Points, Wine Spectator: Lush and well-fruited, with lots of boysenberry, blackberry and plum flavors rolling through, laced with apple wood, anise, violet and sweet tobacco notes. Shows a tarry edge on the finish but the fruit keeps pace easily. Solidly built. Best from 2021 through 2032. 930 cases made. — JM
From our October 2021 Serious Inquiries Only Club notes: