Emerson Brown Oakville Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021

Napa Valley's 2005 vintage was a year for the books.  The abundance of fruit, much of which was turned away at crush pads, opened the door to a life-changing opportunity for Keith Emerson and Brian Brown.  Their shared passion and dedication, honed through years of collaboration at Vineyard 29 Winery, led to the birth of the Emerson Brown partnership.  This dynamic duo has been crafting exceptional Napa Valley wines ever since, and now, they proudly present a new addition to their line-up from Oakville Ranch Vineyard.

Keith Emerson is a Boston native who had plans to become a chef, but his mind changed when he came across an article about learning winemaking.  He moved to California to attend the esteemed UC Davis.  There, he graduated with a degree in Fermentation Science with an emphasis on Enology and Viticulture.  After honing his skills with stops at Cakebread Cellars, Gundlach Bundschu (California's oldest continuously family-owned winery), Palliser Estate in New Zealand, Robert Craig, and others, a winemaker friend referred him to a position at Vineyard 29 in Saint Helena.  He brought on Brian Brown there, and three years later, they decided to become vintner partners.  Today, Keith is the Director of Winemaking at Vineyard 29.  He runs two small labels of his own, Sonría Wines, which focuses on lighter style varieties, including Oregon Pinot Noir and Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc, and atLarge, where he crafts Cabernet Sauvignon from Andy Beckstoffer's Lake County vineyards. 

Having grown up with a family that owned a vineyard on the eastern bench of Oakville, at the time known as III Michaels Estate, Brian Brown was destined to graduate from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology.  He went on to work harvests at Iron Horse Vineyards in Sonoma, Salitage in Pemberton, Australia, and Napa Wine Company in Oakville. 

Tucked 1,000 feet above the valley floor and back into the Vaca mountains, Oakville Ranch spreads across 370 acres.  Of those 370 acres, only 68 are planted to vines split between seven blocks, with the remaining acreage left untouched and wild.  Since 1989, the Miner Family has cared for and expanded the Ranch and its vineyards, implementing sustainable practices and integrating citrus orchards and olive groves to diversify the cultivated crops.  The heights that Oakville Ranch vines rest at assist in producing high acidity in the berries, which, in conjunction with the dichotomy of the cold, strong mountain winds and the warm afternoon sun, results in lively yet brooding wines.

Keith and Brian have meticulously crafted this 2021 Oakville Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, producing a mere 45 cases.  After a cool fermentation, the wine aged in 65% new French oak for 18 months.  In describing the wine, they note "housed within a firm structure, a supple body showcases juicy plums, chocolate covered blueberries, licorice, and wild mountain sage.  Mouthcoating in every sense of the word, this opulent wine is seamless from start to endless finish." A short decant will further unleash these voluptuous aromas, and a few years in the cellar will reward those who are patient enough to wait.