2013 Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Details
Producer

MacDonald

Place of Origin

United States

Oakville

Napa

Color

Red

Grape/Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon

Reviews & Tasting Notes

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Drinking Window

2023 - 2035

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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.

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Drinking Window

2023 - 2043

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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.

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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.

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Drinking Window

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.