Flint Knoll Keenan Big K Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District 2021

The great wines we continue to remember often take us back to a place and time, evoking memories of being together with family and friends, celebrations of love, and honoring life's transformations.  For Vintner, Aaron Michaelis, the memories he cherishes most are those of the tall prairie grasses of the meandering Flint Hills of eastern Kansas, where he grew up.  Aaron's childhood instilled in him a vibrant appreciation for the land and awe of the invaluable practice of giving back to it.  In 2013, he set sail from the sea of grass and let his love for fine wine captain his prairie schooner on a voyage west.  Aaron's move to California was a leap of faith, fueled by a fascination with wine, that eventually brought him to Napa Valley and cemented his future in the industry.  Working in sales, marketing, and product development with boutique wineries and vineyards across the valley, Aaron became more passionate and more involved with each new project.  It soon grew too challenging to ignore his true calling.  In 2016, Aaron's dream of creating a small portfolio of artisanal wines became a reality…enter Flint Knoll.

Partnering with Aaron in his winemaking venture are two industry veterans, winemaker Philippe Melka, and his right-hand man, Maayan Koschitzky. Their impressive backgrounds, including stints at renowned wineries such as Château Haut Brion, Dominus Estate, Petrus, Screaming Eagle, and Dalla Valle, speak volumes about their expertise.  Together with Aaron, they are crafting limited production, single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa's elite vineyards. 

This Spring Mountain Clone 15 Cabernet Sauvignon from the historic Keenan “Big K” Estate Vineyard sits at the highest elevation on the property. The Spring Mountain appellation is defined by vineyards that range from small to smaller, often hand- tilled on terraces and sloping meadows, and wineries hidden from view among dark forests and steep winding roads. Over the years, despite its limited space and remoteness, the appellation has produced many wines acclaimed worldwide for the unmistakable intense flavor and delicate, balanced tannins that are now the signature of Spring Mountain wines.

This deep purple/ruby-hued wine offers a classic Spring Mountain bouquet of blackberries, dark currants, brambly underbrush, tobacco, earth, and leather. It builds beautifully on the palate and is full-bodied, layered, and complex with intense yet smooth tannins. Clone 15 is known for its ageability due to its solid structure and high levels of anthocyanins – cellar it with confidence as this mountain Cabernet will gracefully age for decades to come.