2018-C Acumen Mountainside Red Blend, Napa Valley, California (750ml)
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A Red Cellar Trio Quarterly Wine Club Selection
The Acumen Mountainside Red is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, and 3% Zinfandel.
In 2012, building on a love affair with wine that was first cultivated while studying in Paris, entrepreneur Eric Yuan came to Napa Valley to found Acumen. Eric has been guided by a team that has included legendary winemakers Phillip Titus, the late Denis Malbec, and acclaimed viticulturist Garrett Buckland. In Acumen, Yuan established an estate that features 116 organically certified acres of vines spread across two remarkable vineyards on Napa Valley’s Atlas Peak. From these coveted grapes, the Acumen team makes a small portfolio of estate-grown wines, with a focus on mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
Acumen acquired its first vineyard on Atlas Peak in 2012. Originally planted in 1992 and featuring 32 acres of vines with a northeast exposure, the Attelas Vineyard was the ‘home vineyard’ of Dr. Jan Krupp, predating his famed Stagecoach Vineyard by three years. The next year, Acumen crafted its debut vintage of estate-grown wines. In 2014, Acumen expanded its estate program with the acquisition of the Edcora Vineyard, which features 84 acres of vines 350 feet higher up on Atlas Peak. Like the neighboring Stagecoach Vineyard, Edcora’s high altitude, along with its southwestern exposure, means that it is 10-to-15% warmer on average than Atlas, adding to the diversity of Acumen’s estate program. This provides the winemaking team with a remarkable palette of fruit during blending, adding to the layered sophistication of the wines.
Echoing the charm and longevity of the great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons of the ‘60s, which are revered for their harmony and structure, Acumen’s wines have emerged as new benchmarks for Atlas Peak, recognized for their vibrant purity and precision.
This wine is deep garnet in color with ruby highlights. It has tantalizing aromas of fresh marionberries and black raspberries. The palate is fruit driven, showing great balance with flavors of red and black cherries, currants, hints of spice, and supple tannin. It is very approachable now, but has excellent aging potential over the next several years.