The Mascot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2020

“From the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory”

Overview of the Wine
Although I grew up running around the winery, hand-turning de-stemmers, and eating grapes off the vines in our backyard, I never thought I’d discover my own passion in making wine. My family has been in the business longer than I’ve been around, but it was only a handful of years ago that curiosity led me beyond the event horizon of this world. It began with the experience of learning the complexities of blending wine in 2008, and progressed steadily until I found myself working in the cellar, handling barrel fermentation throughout the harvest of 2012. 

The Mascot began early on as an experiment, after talking the family and winemaking team into sparing a few barrels of wine—produced from our younger vines—to explore a blend of my own. In the first few years, before it had a label or a name, it was just a wine shared with friends and family. It wasn’t until the 2008 vintage, our first official release, that we had enough to share with new friends.

Winemaker
Will Harlan

Grape / Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin
Napa Valley, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes 
The Mascot is a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon made from distinct hillside vineyards; specifically the younger vines of BOND, Harlan Estate, and Promontory. It started out as a small project shared among the family, winemaking team, and close friends. Drawing fruit from blocks of recently replanted vineyards, The Mascot shares a glimpse into the evolution of its parent estates: a youthful snapshot of their future… With an athletic balance of energy and density, The Mascot is expressive and approachable early in its life with the potential to evolve long into the future…

A vibrant purity manifests within this vintage’s generosity, which advances without excess of weight or volume. Aromas of gentle red fruit give way, eventually, to a savory darkness and finely wrought core. An effortless, structural tension transforms into a silky softness on the palate that envelopes The Mascot’s inner depth and dimension. The 2020 vintage resonates rather than roars: its intricate threads of tannin, acidity, and nuance interweave to form a complete expression that shimmers with sensory detail.

Ian Blackburn - “Teeth” - Teeth 94
2020 was a changing vintage in Napa due to fires, but it was on track to be one of the great vintages…. and with this wine you can count on a couple things.  Precision - balance - purity - focus - this is one of the most elegant and refined wines under the Mascot label.  It's not light and thin, it's voluminous and pure… and for that I believe the wine to be an upside surprise.  I was dead set not to purchase 2020’s without intense scrutiny. .  Color 14/15 (what does 15 look like anyway?) , Aroma 24/25 (gorgeous), Body 23/25 textbook Napa, textbook luxury Cabernet 33/35, and Overall this wine is a considerable surprise … I think it rewards early drinking but has great balance and will no doubt be even better in its 5th and further years…  94 Points 

92 Points - CT

Product size: 750ml