2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill Napa Valley

There's never a dull moment at this otherwise peaceful winery on the top of Pritchard hill.The last four vintages were vinified by three different winemakers:Mark Aubert in 2009, Ross Wallace in 2010 and Helen Keplinger in 2011 and 2012, and current winemaker Todd Alexander, who took over here last fall, will make the 2013s.The good news for long-time clients of this estate's rather Pomerol-like cabernet is that, with the 2012 vintage, more fruit from a 2007 planting will increase the size of the blend.In 2011, in contrast, the estate got just 13 tons of fruit from 12 acres.And of course there is now a second high-end wine here, the Bettina.According to winemaker Alexander, owner Don Bryant wanted to make a Bordeaux blend from outstanding fruit (the estate bottling is 100% cabernet sauvignon). The Bettina comes from vineyards farmed by David Abreu in St. Helena and on Howell Mountain.The Bryant 2011s had not yet been blended at the time of my March visit; in fact, Alexander noted that these wines have not been racked since just after the malolactic fermentation.Alexander described 2010 as "a cooler year, like 2011, with restrained, elegant wines."He added that the big rain on October 23 "forced our hand.We brought in all of our fruit as quickly as possible."