Winemaker Notes-The Ghost Block vineyard is a unicorn of sorts, being a ‘mountain’ vineyard on the valley floor. The old vines of Ghost Block sit on the side of Yountville Hill—a mountaintop that formerly resided high above the Stags Leap District in the Vaca Mountains. Some eight million years ago, in a cataclysmic event, a portion of the Vacas toppled, tossing a peak to the west. This relocated peak (Yountville Hill) got turned on its side, revealing a unique, vertical bedding of rarely-ever-exposed Napa Tertiary Volcanics. Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon interprets this soil construct with soft, plush tannins and friendly, bright acidity. She is both generous and poised. Down-valley cool mornings add a touch of sandalwood and rose petal to the varietal traits of cherry and cassis. Winemaker Notes-Granite Lake does not just reside in the Howell Mountain AVA, it is on the ridgeline of the mountain itself. The soils are dusty, red, rich in iron and volcanic debris deposited during the valley’s turbulent, secondary eruptions. Combining this low-vigor soil, 1% slope, and 2,97 feet of elevation gives you a darn good recipe for a classically-styled Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine reflects this terroir construct with approachable but firm tannins paired with low pH and savory acidity. It is our wine with the most power and ballast. Sitting above the fog line adds a sense of warm, red fruits (think- raspberry, strawberry and plum) that is balanced with a sense of charcoal, red rose, rainwater-minerality, and herb. Winemaker Notes-Hillwalker is a prototypical Mt. Veeder vineyard at 1,2 feet, complete with south-facing slope and broken blue shale soils scraped from the Pacific Ocean floor some 14 million (ish) years ago. The vineyard is dry-farmed, organically grown, non-hedged, and becoming adapted to biodynamically-styled teas. This combination of non-intervention farming and ancient soils amplifies the terroir, pushing forward the signature Mt. Veeder violet and iris aromatic. The subtle, barely-there-Boutes Grand Reserve barrels lift and support the taut, vivid, and up-righted mouthfeel and properly frame the blue fruit, black olive, and fine herb flavors. Long, precise, and a bit chiseled—this is a wine Pilcrow thinks Bob Travers would recognize.