2006 Ovid

Ovid is one of the most exciting new entrants in the world of premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Since their first commercially released vintage in 2005, Ovid has shown what is possible on Pritchard Hill’s Long Ranch Road sector, a stretch of vineyards that starts at Aril, on the lower slopes of the mountain, and winds its way past several top estates, including Brand, Montagna, Martinez, Nine Suns and Colgin, before reaching Ovid. This vertical provides a rare opportunity to track the estate’s evolution from the first release to the present.

This 260-acre ranch sits at an altitude of about 1,400 feet on Pritchard Hill above Dalla Valle. Fifteen acres of vines were planted in 2000: cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot, plus a bit of syrah. According to winemaker Andy Erickson, although the vineyards are essentially on a plateau with a five-degree slope, it's a rugged place where the vines struggle and produce intense fruit, especially after the crop is thinned to one cluster per shoot. As at Colgin Cellars, the team here has spread out the canopy to give the fruit more protection against blazing sun, and there's also a moderating marine influence in the hottest parcels, as these vines are open to breezes from San Francisco Bay to the south. The 2005 was the first commercial release for Ovid, as well as the first wine made at their new facility here, where the wines are fermented in a mix of concrete and Taransaud oak tanks.