2016 Cabernet Sauvignon
United States
Oakville
Napa
Red
Cabernet Sauvignon (2023 vintage)
00
2016
2024 - 2041
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Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald are faithful stewards of one of the greatest pieces of dirt in Napa Valley. Just as importantly, the MacDonalds have never been afraid to impose a real style on their wine, instead I always get the sense that the land and vintage speak most eloquently here. The MacDonald Cabernet typically sees about 4 days of cold soak and 30 or so days of contact on the skins. New oak is in the 80% range. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as moving from bottle as it was from barrel. The 2017, which I tasted from barrel, appears to reflect the challenges of the growing season. I either caught the wine at an awkward stage, or the 2017 is decidedly light relative to the wines that have been made here in the past.
00
2023
2033 - 2043
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2022
2028 - 2037
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2022
2026 - 2037
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Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald presented two pristine wines this year. Their 2021 captures all the energy of the year in grand style. It is the first vintage made at Thomas Brown’s Mending Wall facility. I have to wonder if the greater flexibility of that space will be a plus for this wine going forward. I was quite taken by the 2022 as well. “It was our earliest harvest ever,” Graeme MacDonald commented. “We observed that sugars were starting to spike, so we pulled the fruit off quickly. In the cellar, we have racked the 2022 a bit more often than we usually do in order to build texture,” he added.
00
2021
2027 - 2039
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Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald presented two pristine wines this year. Their 2021 captures all the energy of the year in grand style. It is the first vintage made at Thomas Brown’s Mending Wall facility. I have to wonder if the greater flexibility of that space will be a plus for this wine going forward. I was quite taken by the 2022 as well. “It was our earliest harvest ever,” Graeme MacDonald commented. “We observed that sugars were starting to spike, so we pulled the fruit off quickly. In the cellar, we have racked the 2022 a bit more often than we usually do in order to build texture,” he added.
00
2021
2029 - 2043
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2020
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2019
2028 - 2044
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2019
2027 - 2044
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Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald farm one of the choice parcels in To Kalon. There are fifteen acres under vine. At present, most of the fruit is sold to Mondavi, although that seems very likely to change soon, making MacDonald among the most coveted vineyards in Napa Valley by winemakers who purchase grapes.
Once again, the wines are truly special in the way they embody the essence of place. Graeme MacDonald gave his 2018 4-5 of cold soak, followed by fermentation for about a week with 2-3 pumpovers per day, culminating with extended maceration of about 34 days. The 2018 was bottled in June, 2020. New oak was 75%. As for the 2019, the barrel sample I tasted suggest it is an epic wine in the making.
00
2018
2026 - 2043
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2018
2026 - 2043
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Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald farm one of the choice parcels in To Kalon. There are fifteen acres under vine. At present, most of the fruit is sold to Mondavi, although that seems very likely to change soon, making MacDonald among the most coveted vineyards in Napa Valley by winemakers who purchase grapes.
Once again, the wines are truly special in the way they embody the essence of place. Graeme MacDonald gave his 2018 4-5 of cold soak, followed by fermentation for about a week with 2-3 pumpovers per day, culminating with extended maceration of about 34 days. The 2018 was bottled in June, 2020. New oak was 75%. As for the 2019, the barrel sample I tasted suggest it is an epic wine in the making.
00
2018
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2017
2025 - 2042
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2017
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Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald are faithful stewards of one of the greatest pieces of dirt in Napa Valley. Just as importantly, the MacDonalds have never been afraid to impose a real style on their wine, instead I always get the sense that the land and vintage speak most eloquently here. The MacDonald Cabernet typically sees about 4 days of cold soak and 30 or so days of contact on the skins. New oak is in the 80% range. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as moving from bottle as it was from barrel. The 2017, which I tasted from barrel, appears to reflect the challenges of the growing season. I either caught the wine at an awkward stage, or the 2017 is decidedly light relative to the wines that have been made here in the past.
00
2016
2024 - 2034
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These are two fabulous wines from brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald. Their 2015 is superb, while the 2016 is shaping up to be even better. The MacDonalds own 15 acres of vineyards in the heart of To Kalon. Most of the fruit has gone to Mondavi (and before that Charles Krug) since the mid 1950s. The Cabernet sees 30-35 days on the skins and is aged in Taransaud and Sylvain barrels, with minimal racking.
00
2015
2023 - 2040
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These are two fabulous wines from brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald. Their 2015 is superb, while the 2016 is shaping up to be even better. The MacDonalds own 15 acres of vineyards in the heart of To Kalon. Most of the fruit has gone to Mondavi (and before that Charles Krug) since the mid 1950s. The Cabernet sees 30-35 days on the skins and is aged in Taransaud and Sylvain barrels, with minimal racking.
00
2015
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These are three brilliant wines from brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald. Graeme MacDonald is among the producers for whom the August 2014 earthquake was a key moment to understanding the vintage. Up until then, the vines had conserved energy. The earthquake resulted in bringing water closer to the surface, as the shifts in the ground caused several dry streams and creeks to start running again. As for the wines, they are simply magnificent Cabernets that capture the essence of what makes the To Kalon vineyard so unique.
00
2014
2024 - 2034
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2014
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- By Author Name on Month Date, Year
These are three brilliant wines from brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald. Graeme MacDonald is among the producers for whom the August 2014 earthquake was a key moment to understanding the vintage. Up until then, the vines had conserved energy. The earthquake resulted in bringing water closer to the surface, as the shifts in the ground caused several dry streams and creeks to start running again. As for the wines, they are simply magnificent Cabernets that capture the essence of what makes the To Kalon vineyard so unique.
00
2014
2022 - 2039
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The Undiscovered series usually features wineries in their first year or two of commercial release, but I am making an exception for MacDonald, as not including them in the past was an oversight on my part. Perhaps that is because there is a sense of timelessness to these wines and this place. Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald are among the new generation of emerging winemakers in Napa Valley. For more than 50 years the MacDonalds have sold fruit to the Robert Mondavi Winery. The MacDonald family acquired their choice parcel in the heart of To Kalon almost by accident, as it was part of the purchase of a summer home. Robert Mondavi expressed interest in the fruit. Upon his receipt of the first crop Mondavi paid more than the previously agreed upon rate and a deep relationship was cemented that continues to this day. In 2009, brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald began keeping a little of their fruit to make their own wine, realizing a long-held dream. Graeme MacDonald spent time at Colgin, before moving to Opus and Scholium Project, a pretty wide-ranging assignments befitting a young, highly inquisitive winemaker. More recently, John Kongsgaard has been a mentor. Alex MacDonald handles the business side of things. Together, the MacDonald brothers are poised to do special things.
00
2013
2023 - 2035
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00
2013
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer vitae aliquam odio. Aliquam purus diam, tempor et consectetur vitae, eleifend ac quam. Proin nec mauris ac odio iaculis semper. Integer posuere pharetra aliquet. Nullam tincidunt sagittis est in maximus. Donec sem orci, vulputate ac quam non, consectetur fermentum diam. In dignissim magna id orci dignissim convallis. Integer sit amet placerat dui. Aliquam pharetra ornare nulla at vulputate. Sed dictum, mi eget fringilla lacinia, nisl tortor condimentum mi, vitae ultrices quam diam ac neque. Donec hendrerit vulputate felis, fringilla varius massa.
- By Author Name on Month Date, Year
These are three brilliant wines from brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald. Graeme MacDonald is among the producers for whom the August 2014 earthquake was a key moment to understanding the vintage. Up until then, the vines had conserved energy. The earthquake resulted in bringing water closer to the surface, as the shifts in the ground caused several dry streams and creeks to start running again. As for the wines, they are simply magnificent Cabernets that capture the essence of what makes the To Kalon vineyard so unique.
00
2013
2023 - 2043
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer vitae aliquam odio. Aliquam purus diam, tempor et consectetur vitae, eleifend ac quam. Proin nec mauris ac odio iaculis semper. Integer posuere pharetra aliquet. Nullam tincidunt sagittis est in maximus. Donec sem orci, vulputate ac quam non, consectetur fermentum diam. In dignissim magna id orci dignissim convallis. Integer sit amet placerat dui. Aliquam pharetra ornare nulla at vulputate. Sed dictum, mi eget fringilla lacinia, nisl tortor condimentum mi, vitae ultrices quam diam ac neque. Donec hendrerit vulputate felis, fringilla varius massa.
- By Author Name on Month Date, Year
The Undiscovered series usually features wineries in their first year or two of commercial release, but I am making an exception for MacDonald, as not including them in the past was an oversight on my part. Perhaps that is because there is a sense of timelessness to these wines and this place. Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald are among the new generation of emerging winemakers in Napa Valley. For more than 50 years the MacDonalds have sold fruit to the Robert Mondavi Winery. The MacDonald family acquired their choice parcel in the heart of To Kalon almost by accident, as it was part of the purchase of a summer home. Robert Mondavi expressed interest in the fruit. Upon his receipt of the first crop Mondavi paid more than the previously agreed upon rate and a deep relationship was cemented that continues to this day. In 2009, brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald began keeping a little of their fruit to make their own wine, realizing a long-held dream. Graeme MacDonald spent time at Colgin, before moving to Opus and Scholium Project, a pretty wide-ranging assignments befitting a young, highly inquisitive winemaker. More recently, John Kongsgaard has been a mentor. Alex MacDonald handles the business side of things. Together, the MacDonald brothers are poised to do special things.
00
2013
2023 - 2043
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These are two marvelous, distinctive wines from brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald. In just their third commercial release, the MacDonald brothers continue to make a splash with their small-production Cabernet from the heart of To-Kalon, where their family has sold fruit to the Robert Mondavi Winery since the mid-1960s. The MacDonalds make their wines up at John Kongsgaard's winery on Atlas Peak, which has become a sort of gathering place for young producers. Old, head-trained vines form the core of MacDonald Cabernet, although younger vineyards are part of the blend beginning with the 2013 vintage. Natural fermentations and manual pumpovers are part of the minimalist approach taken in the cellar. The 2012 is quite open and expressive, even in its youth, while the 2013 reminds me of the 2010, but it is a bit sweeter through the middle. These gorgeous wines reflect a daring, artisan spirit that is not so easy to find in Napa Valley these days. Readers who can source the MacDonald wines should not hesitate, as they are magnificent. For further perspective, earlier this spring, I served the 2010 blind to a group of California Cabernet lovers, along with fifteen of that vintage's widely recognized benchmark wines. In that context, among all the big names, the MacDonald wine showed beautifully. In fact, for many tasters it was one of the wines of the night.
00
2013
2019 - 2038
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Brothers Alex and Graeme MacDonald appear to have a very bright future. The first four commercially released vintages from the MacDonalds' parcels in To-Kalon have all been terrific. The 2011 is a perfect example of how a world-class vineyard can perform in even the most challenging of vintages. MacDonald is as no-frills as it gets. The wines are made up at John Kongsgaard's winery on Atlas Peak using the most rudimentary equipment. Then again, the 2014 fruit I tasted at crush didn't need much in the way of technology. Production is scheduled to increase slightly, but the MacDonalds intend to keep selling fruit to their existing long-time customers, so signing up for the mailing list is the best way to buy these wines. Readers might enjoy this short video I shot with Alex and Graeme MacDonald this past October.
00
2012
2022 - 2037
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00
2012
2020 - 2042
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These are two marvelous, distinctive wines from brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald. In just their third commercial release, the MacDonald brothers continue to make a splash with their small-production Cabernet from the heart of To-Kalon, where their family has sold fruit to the Robert Mondavi Winery since the mid-1960s. The MacDonalds make their wines up at John Kongsgaard's winery on Atlas Peak, which has become a sort of gathering place for young producers. Old, head-trained vines form the core of MacDonald Cabernet, although younger vineyards are part of the blend beginning with the 2013 vintage. Natural fermentations and manual pumpovers are part of the minimalist approach taken in the cellar. The 2012 is quite open and expressive, even in its youth, while the 2013 reminds me of the 2010, but it is a bit sweeter through the middle. These gorgeous wines reflect a daring, artisan spirit that is not so easy to find in Napa Valley these days. Readers who can source the MacDonald wines should not hesitate, as they are magnificent. For further perspective, earlier this spring, I served the 2010 blind to a group of California Cabernet lovers, along with fifteen of that vintage's widely recognized benchmark wines. In that context, among all the big names, the MacDonald wine showed beautifully. In fact, for many tasters it was one of the wines of the night.
00
2012
2017 - 2037
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Brothers Alex and Graeme MacDonald appear to have a very bright future. The first four commercially released vintages from the MacDonalds' parcels in To-Kalon have all been terrific. The 2011 is a perfect example of how a world-class vineyard can perform in even the most challenging of vintages. MacDonald is as no-frills as it gets. The wines are made up at John Kongsgaard's winery on Atlas Peak using the most rudimentary equipment. Then again, the 2014 fruit I tasted at crush didn't need much in the way of technology. Production is scheduled to increase slightly, but the MacDonalds intend to keep selling fruit to their existing long-time customers, so signing up for the mailing list is the best way to buy these wines. Readers might enjoy this short video I shot with Alex and Graeme MacDonald this past October.
00
2011
2021 - 2036
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2011
2016 - 2031
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Brothers Alex and Graeme MacDonald appear to have a very bright future. The first four commercially released vintages from the MacDonalds' parcels in To-Kalon have all been terrific. The 2011 is a perfect example of how a world-class vineyard can perform in even the most challenging of vintages. MacDonald is as no-frills as it gets. The wines are made up at John Kongsgaard's winery on Atlas Peak using the most rudimentary equipment. Then again, the 2014 fruit I tasted at crush didn't need much in the way of technology. Production is scheduled to increase slightly, but the MacDonalds intend to keep selling fruit to their existing long-time customers, so signing up for the mailing list is the best way to buy these wines. Readers might enjoy this short video I shot with Alex and Graeme MacDonald this past October.
00
2010
2018 - 2035
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This wine was tasted as part of 2010 Napa Valley at the NoMad Rooftop, which was held on April 22, 2015.
00
2010
2018 - 2030
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Brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald are among the new generation of emerging winemakers in Napa Valley. For more than 50 years the MacDonalds have sold fruit to the Robert Mondavi Winery. The MacDonald family acquired their choice parcel in the heart of To Kalon almost by accident, as it was part of the purchase of a summer home. Robert Mondavi expressed interest in the fruit. Upon his receipt of the first crop Mondavi paid more than the previously agreed upon a rate and a deep relationship was cemented that continues to this day. In 2009, brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald began keeping a little of their fruit to make their own wine, realizing a long-held dream. Graeme MacDonald spent time at Colgin, before moving to Opus and Scholium Project, a pretty wide-ranging assignments befitting a young, highly inquisitive winemaker. More recently, John Kongsgaard has been a mentor. Alex MacDonald handles the business side of things. Together, the MacDonald brothers are poised to do special things. The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, their first commercial release, is the result of a dream, years of hard work and the inspiration of their late father. Readers won't meet too many young producers who are as passionate, humble and driven as the MacDonald brothers. I imagine the 2010 will be long gone by the time this review is published, but readers who have a chance to pick up the wine, or, even better, visit the property, should not hesitate.
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