WTN: 4 from La Jota

[geo t.]

From Virtual Angwin

These four wines are all from late in the period when the La Jota Vineyard Co. was still owned by Bill and Joan Smith, before being bought by Markham Vineyards in 2001. The La Jota website gives only minimal information about the previous owners, who established a marvelous track record for making great wines, causing us to rue the fact that we didn't discover them long before now. It should be interesting to see if the new owners and winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls can maintain the high standards established by the Smiths.

1998 La Jota Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Selection, $39.99, 13.2% alc.: A deep dark garnet in color, this doesn't give much on the nose when first poured, but it gradually opens to show black currant, cassis, earth, leather, cigar box and what Kim describes as "a really nice baryardy quality about it." These echo loudly in the deep, dark, dry flavors, with at least five years worth of development ahead of it, thanks to the solid structure. Still, it drinks well already, especially with a good steak (medium rare), a radish and potato gratin and pan roasted asparagus spears. By no means a fruit bomb, this comes off with a much more Bordeaux - like character than Napanese, and we like that just fine; in fact Kim likes it even more than the following, pricier selection.

1998 La Jota Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 17th Anniversary Release, $82.99, 13.9% alc.: This inky purple - garnet throws a somewhat stingy nose of slightly dusty fennel over black currant and cassis; in the mouth it gives richer, more refined flavors and texture than the Howell Mountain Selection, despite a very similar black currant, cassis and tobacco profile. The excellent structure should provide this full bodied Cabernet with at least ten years of development, but now, the silky tannins clamp down on the finish some. The rich, refined character emerges more and more with air, along with a little dark chocolate, and this also works quite well with the menu noted above. And, like the HMS, this more closely resembles Bordeaux than your usual Napa Cab. Very nice stuff here, but be patient, because it's years away from optimum drinking.

1998 La Jota Napa Cabernet Franc Howell Mountain, $76.99, 14.7% alc.: A deep, dark garnet in color, this top o' the mountain Cabernet Franc shows a bit of the barnyard right off the bat, with plenty of black currant, black plum, blackberry and some licorice also in evidence in the aromatics. The big, rich, concentrated flavors echo on a full - bodied frame, with excellent structure and a slightly astringent finish, where the tannins show the most. This is drinking well right now, becoming more perfumed as it opens, but it would seem to be a ten - year wine and more, and certainly not a casualty of the vintage. Some leather and bramble emerge with air, along with a hint of blueberry in the background; it's interesting to compare this to the memory of the last Joguet Chinon that we had, because the two give rather different variations of the Cabernet Franc experience. A marvelous wine that garners two thumbs up from the tasters at Gang Central.

1999 La Jota Napa Cabernet Franc Howell Mountain, $76.99, 14.8% alc.: This opaque purple garnet was tasted a few weeks after the ’98, and like the earlier model, it has impressive size and structure; on the nose, it shows deep dark black currant and cassis, subtly perfumed with blueberry and sandalwood, all of which follow through on the palate, with considerable power. Kim added impressions of a hot pepper streak, and a note of cola, bordering on rock and rye. Although there are considerable tannins here, they only become somewhat intrusive on the finish; otherwise, the wine smoothes out nicely with air, making for some very good drinking already. Still, it would be prudent to give this delicious wine another five years in the cellar for it to start to show its best.

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

[mike volker]

George,

Had the 2000 HM a few months ago, and it must not have been one of their better years because I was really disappointed.

Best,

Mike