Mission Codename Trifecta
Man, we’ve been on a serious tear with some next-level offers recently. Time, we slow things down so our warehouse can get a breather. So, here’s your regular old, single-vineyard, mountain-grown Cab.
For…aw geez… $25?!
Guess we need to slide a few cases of Red Bull and some pizza into the warehouse. The madness continues!
John Bambury founded the Bambury Collection of wines in the year 2000. That umbrella also includes the Bonneau and Opal Moon labels, which have been hugely popular. And Moon Mountain, as you may know, is home to some of the most powerful and long-lasting Cabernet in Sonoma County, and beyond. You must have had some of Ty Caton’s wines from this famed spot - in fact, this one comes entirely from THE Caton Vineyard. That should frame your expectations about the style of wine you’re getting.
At this point, it’s worth sharing a quick comparison to a few other Moon Mountain Cabernet prices.
- Kamen, $95
- Arnot Roberts, $135
- Amapola Creek, $75
- St. Francis, $70
Weird. Not seeing anything in the $20 range on that list.
Anyways, moving on to the wine…
Full-bodied, jammy, and quite rich, this bruiser comes loaded to the gills with red and black fruits. A mountain of strawberry preserves, oodles of blackberry jam. A dusting of cocoa powder. A drop of vanilla. Some savory spices and leather. All wrapped in smoothed-out tannins. Ideal for drinking with a deep-dish Chicago-style pizza, beef stew, a hearty ribeye steak, or any other similarly big, bold meal.
Bonneau + Caton + Mountain Cab is a trifecta to reckon with, while mountain-grown Cab from the other side of the hill in Napa would cost twice as much. At least.
But from us, well, it’s just another average Tuesday at Wine Spies HQ.
Tasting Profile
Strawberry preserves, blackberry jam, cocoa, vanilla
Look | Deep ruby bordering pitch black in the viscous core |
---|---|
Smell | Red & black fruits, strawberry preserves, blackberry jam |
Taste | Cocoa powder, vanilla, savory spices, and leather |
Finish | Full-bodied, jammy, rich with smoothed-out tannins |
Pairing | Deep-dish Chicago-style pizza, beef stew, ribeye steaks |
What the Winery Says
2014 Caton Vineyards Moon Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
- Winemaker
- John Bambury
- Varietal
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vintage
- 2014
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- Appellation
- Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley
- Vineyard
- Caton Vineyards
- Clone
- 337 (Caton)
- Year planted
- 1997
- Harvest date
- October 10, 2014
- Brix at harvest
- 25.7°
- Total acidity
- 5.7 g/L
- pH
- 3.63
- Tields
- 3 tons/acre
- Aging
- 23 months
- Barrels
- 91.5% French, 5.7& Hungarian, 2.8% American oak