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A rare bargain Napa Cab crafted from Howell Mountain fruit, the elegant 95 pt. 2017 Burgess Cellars Contadina Cabernet Sauvignon offers rich, savory dark fruit hinting of fresh cedar with silky tannins and a long-lived finish, unbeatably priced for Napa Cab fans seeking an outstanding value to scoop up by the case and enjoy over the next decade.
Among Howell Mountain’s oldest wineries established by pioneering founder Tom Burgess in 1972, the Burgess Cellars vineyards were originally planted on the steep slopes above the frost line in the late 1800’s by Italian-Swiss immigrants, crafting their wines in a traditional gravity flow winery that remained part of the property for over a century. Described by Antonio Galloni of Vinous as “one of Napa Valley’s under the radar gems,” Burgess Cellars' 2017 Contadina Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced mainly from the estate’s original steep, south-west facing 60 acre Sorenson Vineyard, the Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted at elevations up to 1,000 feet in densely compacted volcanic ash mixed with large granitic stones, blended with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec from the Haymaker Vineyard on the opposite side of Howell Mountain facing east. Crafted by winemaker Kelly Woods who has gone on to work for renowned consultant Philippe Melka, the lush 2017 Burgess Cellars Contadina Cabernet Sauvignon was aged in 15% new French oak for 22 months with the rest in neutral oak barriques, yielding dense, concentrated dark fruit with plush, velvety tannins finishing with an appealing herbal lift, a classically styled Napa Cab described by the Wine Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski as “a solid effort for drinking over the next decade.”
Now part of the group that also owns Heitz Cellars and releasing their current vintage Cab at over three times the price, the 95 pt. 2017 Burgess Cellars Contadina Cabernet Sauvignon offers Napa Cab fans a rare opportunity to score a great deal on a well-crafted, age worthy Cab from a historic estate along the Silverado Trail, reflecting its prime Howell Mountain origins and promising a decade of pleasurable drinking ahead at an appealing bargain price. |