2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard

Jayson Woodbridge is one of the most focused and determined people I have ever met in the Napa Valley, or anywhere, for that matter. A man of deeply held convictions, Woodbridge knows exactly what he wants to achieve and won't let anyone get in the way. His inner drive and passion are both remarkable. I suppose surviving cancer at the age of 18 will do that to you. Hundred Acre fans will find much to admire in this set of new releases. The Hundred Acre wines remain some of the most distinctive wines being made in Napa Valley today.

Proprietor Jayson Woodbridge makes some of the most unique, deeply personal wines in Napa Valley. Very late harvests and minimal intervention in the cellar, including no rackings until bottling, are just some of the choices that inform these wines. Woodbridge's vineyards are in St. Helena (Kayli Morgan, Precious), the lower part of Howell Mountain (Ark) and Calistoga (Few and Far Between). Woodbridge is less reliant on outside consultants than many of his colleagues, so the wines bear very specific signatures that are unlike those of other wines being made in the Valley. The late harvests give the wines super-ripe fruit that can at times veer towards sweetness, but it is the extreme silkiness and finesse of the tannins that differentiates these wines. Woodbridge believes wines must be ready to go upon release and frowns upon decanting or advance aeration, which he doesn't think should be necessary. As outstanding as these wines can be upon release, the reality is that the wines have also proven to age exceptionally well. I tasted a huge number of wines with Woodbridge and his team, but it was two wines with some bottle age (the 2000 and 2006 Kayli Morgan) that made the deepest impression. I hope Hundred Acre fans can find the discipline to put away a few bottles. The transformation of these wines in bottle is remarkable. These no-holds-barred Cabernets aren't for everyone, but they are compelling and highly individualistic, just like Woodbridge himself.