Freemark Abbey was one of the first Cabernet’s I tasted and have always been impressed by their wines. I was fortunate to visit the winery PC- pre covid, in October of 2019 and definitely intend to revisit on my next trip to Napa. The Winery is unpretentious and a delight to walk around, friendly staff and excellent wines- see photos. Definitely worth a visit next time you’re in Napa. They make a Cab Franc that is pretty much only available thru Cellar Door that is to die for. They also have a Rutherford Cabernet that is highly allocated that is most definitely worth drinking if you ever come across a bottle.
I have a few bottles of each in my cellar and I consider them in the ’prized possession’ category- for special occasions only.
Kristy Melton (ex Clos du Val) took over the reins as winemaker a few years ago has done a superb job with the 2018 Cabernet and I’m sure has had a lot to do with the winery’s resurgence as one of Napa’s best wine producers.
Napa Cabernet 2018
This is classic medium bodied Napa Cab with aromas of blackberries, black currents and cherries that is appealing and ‘morish’ (an Australian expression meaning you can’t have just one sip, you want more). Palate is smooth, inviting and delicious with ample servings of dark cherries, blackberries and plum with secondary notes of spices, mocha, and licorice with an interesting creamy texture through to the finish. Drinking beautifully now but will cellar till 2032 without a concern. Great balance and finesse- very appealing and very drinkable!
Diatom Winery
Diatom Wines and Greg Brewer are synonymous, one is a Santa Barbara Chardonnay that is an exceptional pure expression of the grape varietal, made to reflect the terroir with minimal interference and one is Winemaker of the Year and Founder. “Diatom is named for diatomaceous earth, which is a plankton fossil found in the oceanic landscape of Santa Barbara County” Source: www.diatomwines.com. The 2021 vintage isn’t rated as yet but the 2020 vintage achieved a 96 pt rating from Vinous and as good as this is, I would expect similar ratings.
Possibly the best Santa Barbara Chardonnay I’ve tasted and definitely one of my all-time favorites from California.
The nose is seductive with honeysuckle, lemon and pretty floral notes dominating. As impressive as the nose is, one sip and you’ll realize just how good this Chardonnay is. One of the best Chardonnays I’ve tasted out of California, period. Palate is rich, smooth and focused with exceptional balance with acidity, fruit and minerality all where it should be. The result is a rich enticing mouthfeel with almost seamless layers of lemon marmalade, orange peel and honeysuckle leaving very little room for lime, floral notes and a subtle note of saline- no doubt from the vineyards terroir and proximity to the ocean. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, if I didn’t know better this could be a French Chablis.
Vine to Table 