Angelo Owens Le Lien Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022

Angelo Owens is the debut solo project from a Napa Valley veteran you’ve likely tasted wines from but never heard of. Since 2006, Jeff Owens has quietly crafted wines under the PlumpJack Group, working his way up from cellar hand at PlumpJack winery to assistant winemaker at CADE Estate and finally to head winemaker of Odette Estate. With almost 20 years of experience in Napa, Jeff knows the valley like the back of his hand, yet he is still keen to do more in our rarified region. While many winemakers create side projects to explore different regions or varietals, Jeff has long been enamored with Napa Valley and the Bordeaux varietals that thrive here. Jeff launched Angelo Owens in 2021 alongside his wife, Valerie Angelo, realizing the longtime dream of crafting terroir-driven wines and creating a legacy for future generations.

Jeff and Valerie met in college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where Valerie studied Journalism, and Jeff was a member of the first Wine and Viticulture graduating class. Throughout their four years at school, Jeff and Valerie spent all their free time exploring local wine regions and absorbing (literally and figurately) all they could about wine. When graduation came around, both agreed that Napa Valley was the only place for them. They packed up and headed north, where Valerie jumped into the world of sales, and Jeff joined the team at PlumpJack Winery. As the decades passed, the couple enjoyed the big life milestones of marriage, children, and promotions while digging deeper roots in Napa. Yet, the hope of establishing their own wine brand was always in the back of their minds. They consider Angelo Owens a celebration of passion and quality and a true-life example that perseverance pays off, no matter how long it takes.

The ”Le Lien” bottling is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon blended from all of the single vineyards Angelo Owen works with. From early September to mid-October, the team handpicked the fruit from the various sites and sent the de-stemmed whole berries to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Each lot was cold-soaked for four days before fermenting on the skins and starting malolactic fermentation in tank. Halfway through malolactic fermentation, Jeff transferred the wine to barrel, where it rested for 20 months in a mix of 85% new and 15% neutral French oak. Aromas of blackberry jam and freshly picked wild blueberry highlight the first wafts from the glass, with touches of crushed rock, sage, and cigar box revealing second and third impressions. Acidity intertwines with tightly woven and soft tannins, creating a plush texture that lasts through the final sip.