Copper Bear Beckstoffer Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2022

Crafting fine wines takes a great deal of thoughtful care, precious time, and passionate energy. For many of the winemakers we highlight at ACME, their labels are a "side hustle" and ones where they can let their creativity shine. Some do so by working with different varietals than those used in their day job, and some do so by exploring various techniques and approaches to the vineyard sites they work with daily. Copper Bear proprietor Jesse Giacomelli has a front row, center seat to a handful of Napa Valley's "grand cru" vineyards as the winemaker for Beckstoffer Vineyards. Since day one of working for Andy Beckstoffer, Jesse has come to know Andy's vineyards like the back of his hand. After crafting solely wines for Beckstoffer Vineyards for a few years, he launched a personal brand. Introducing Copper Bear…

Jesse's winemaking experience spans decades and regions, having worked in Argentina, Alexander Valley, and Napa. He credits mentorship from Aaron Pott and Benoit Touquette with honing his winemaking style and his understanding of Napa Valley. In his time at Beckstoffer Vineyards, he has fully immersed himself in the specific terroirs of each vineyard and learned the intricacies of each site and its soil types. For Copper Bear, Jesse utilizes fruit from Andy's historic sites, like Georges III and Missouri Hopper, to craft small-lot, refined wines that highlight the vineyard's character.

The grapes for this wine hail from the storied Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard on the east side of Rutherford, hugging the Silverado Trail. This vineyard ranks among the most cherished grape growing sites in the Napa Valley as parcels in the 300-acre Georges III property date back to 1895, planted by Mrs. Thomas Rutherford (yes, that Rutherford.) Beaulieu Vineyards stewarded the land for 60 years, making the BV Cabernets that would become world-renowned in their distinction as fine wines of Napa Valley. 1988 saw the vineyards transition to the Beckstoffer family and re-plantings to take advantage of new Cabernet Sauvignon clones and modern spacing and trellising techniques.

When we say small lot, we mean it as Jesse produced only 50 cases of his Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon. Crafted from 100% Clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon, the fruit comes from the vineyard's most highly allocated block. The wine aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, and Jesse notes, "The 2022 Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon showcases layers of dark, concentrated fruit, with notes of blackberry and ripe plum dominating the profile. The wine is elegantly structured, with the fruit complemented by well integrated French oak, contributing subtle notes of cedar and baking spices. Plus, refined tannins offer a smooth and velvety texture."