2017 Cappella

I can’t say I am especially surprised by the quality of the Abreu 2017s having tasted them several times over the years. If Brad Grimes were not a winemaker, his even-keeled temperament would make him a great surgeon or pilot. Grimes seems completely unfazed by whatever challenges any given vintage presents. He has complete trust in the work his crew does in the vineyard and total conviction about his choices. The Abreu winery is right down the street from the house I rented in 2017, so I stopped by a few times during harvest to see what was going on as fruit came in early in the mornings. It looked like any other year. And that is what consistency is all about. In tasting, the 2017s are bit lighter in structure than most years, which only means the wines will be accessible with less time in bottle.

It's always fascinating to sit down with Brad Grimes at Abreu and taste through the entire range because of the diversity of sites in the portfolio and the ability to taste three vintages of each wine, something that is rare in Napa Valley. I've said this before, but I really get the sense that the wines are moving more and more towards finesse while retaining all of the natural richness that is the essence of what Napa Valley is about. As always, Brad Grimes is one of Napa Valley's most intuitive winemakers. His interaction with a vintage is like what you might see with a jazz musician, which is to say supremely flexible and responsive. The wines are magnificent, especially the 2017s, which are among the unqualified successes of the year. Readers should note that the 2018 is the last Thorevilos, as David Abreu's lease on that property expired. While it is always a bit sad to see a piece of history come to an end, change can also be invigorating. I have no doubt that will be the case here.

This is a positively stellar set of wines from David Abreu and longtime winemaker Brad Grimes. It's always fascinating to stop by Abreu, as this is one of the rare estates in Napa Valley where a typical tasting encompasses three vintages, and that naturally provides a tremendous opportunity to follow the evolution of wines over time. At this stage, the 2017s are component blends, while the 2016s are fully blended wines in barrel that will be bottled this winter, and the 2015s are, of course, all in bottle. Over the last few years Brad Grimes seems to have given these wines an extra dimension of finesse. Always one of the most unassuming and humble winemakers in the valley, Grimes says he hasn't changed anything in the way he is making the wines. But then again, Grimes is an intuitive winemaker, not a technician. In tasting, it seems pretty clear to me there is an extra level of nuance, delineation and purity that makes these wines absolutely thrilling.