2014 Covert Estate Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

Covert Estate is in the eastern hills of the Vacas Mountain Range, in the Coombsville Appellation. It was started by three couples with backgrounds as wine collectors or vintners. They are Cal and Pam Nicholson, Dave and Laura Nestor, and Julien and Elan Fayard. Julien Fayard is Covert’s winemaker and the estate applies traditional Bordeaux winemaking techniques to Coombsville terroir. Covert wines are generally available only through the estate’s mailing list.

Coombsville AVA is one of Napa Valley’s newer appellations, having received its official designation only in 2011. Tucked just to the northeast of Los Carneros and a few minutes’ drive east of downtown Napa, the Coombsville appellation is relatively large at a total of 11,000 acres. The elevation varies from 100 to 1,000 feet, and the climate is moderated by marine breezes from the San Pablo Bay. The main grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.