robert-craig-winery
2013 Robert Craig Winery Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder – Truly Spectacular
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Visited Robert Craig Winery back in January of 2016 and came home with several bottles. Opened one last Friday and needed to refresh the story! Located on top of Howell Mountain at the very top at 2,300 feet elevation, Robert Craig Winery has its production facility and estate vineyards. For those less adventurous a spectacular tasting room is in downtown Napa, the Robert Craig Winery Tasting Salon. Here is one view of the Howell Mountain vineyard with Spring Mountain on the other side of the Valley.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Their entire production was 10,000 cases in 2016 with 50% being dedicated to their award-winning Affinity Estate Cabernet Sauvignon back in 2016. I met with Elton Slone, President and CEO and Stephen Tebb, winemaker for Robert Craig Winery. Elton provided in detail the history of the winery for the last 30 years. Elton, who is the managing partner, now at the helm shared his vision and reinvestment into the business to bring to market his passion for old world wines to the new world of Robert Craig Winery. He and Stephen are working hard to bring forth individual site expression into the wine. They offer, besides Affinity (a true Bordeaux), specific appellations like Spring Mountain, Mt Veeder, and Howell Mountain. Stephen, who has been producing wine for Robert Craig for the last eight years, appears to thrive on mountain fruit. The scores for their 2013 Affinity have been 93+ pts, 2012 Howell Mtn at 95 pts and 2013 Howell Mtn coming in at 95+ points from Robert Parker. These are balanced big reds with tamed tannins, acids with just enough push to allow for a fruit forward tasty wine. Here is where the magic happens on Howell Mtn, their production facility. The building on the left is the production facility and on the right is a cozy location for tasting wine.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Elton and Stephen explained the low yields on the various mountains where they gather their fruit. Howell Mtn for example typically produces only 1.8 tons per acre and Spring Mtn only 2.1 tons. That stated, the Howell Mtn fruit can have massive amounts of tannins, as high as 1400 compared to Valley coming in around 1200. So in their 2013 Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon they introduced 12% Merlot to “round off and soften” the wine. On this one, they hit the bullseye! Their Mt Veeder which got the 95+ points from Parker, unfortunately goes to Club Members only—A good incentive to join!! Stephen is making solid handcrafted wines.
Antonia Galloni, VINOUS sums this up beautifully in his 2016 review of this wine stating “the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt. Veeder) opens with a blast of dark blue/purplish fruit, spices, menthol and licorice. A host of graphite, slate, game, iron and savory notes appears later, adding considerable nuance throughout. The 2013 packs plenty of intensity …”. He rated it 94 points and it came in at 15% alcohol. Today it can still be purchased from the winery at $189/bottle. Bottom of FormThe winemaker’s notes state “The 2013 is especially dark and brooding, exhibiting the unique Mount Veeder terroir in its rich palette of black fruits and fine-grained tannins. Alluring black raspberry, blueberry and floral tones offset sweet tannins and a weighty, full-bodied opulence’.
If you are looking to add to your cellar or want a full body wine to drink, their remarkable wines are more than worthy of your consideration today. In the very near future, they will soar to be one of the premium wines of Napa Valley. Their trademark “Cabernet Sauvignon Elevated” is beyond the topography of the vineyards – it is all about quality wine. This evening their wine made my annual list of Best Wines tasted each year, this for 2025.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Paired this wine this evening with a seasoned and seared filet mignon at 1500 degrees on the BBQ. Served medium rare, moist and succulent. A blue cheese, butter and chive topping was prepared and served on top of each filet of mignon. This was so delicious!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A full and complete dinner was prepared by my wife for some longtime friends of forty seven years! Started out with a Honeycrisp salad that included vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, apple cider, honey, lemon juice, salt, ground pepper, purple onion, Honeycrisp apples, Romain and iceberg lettuce, candied pecan halves, dried cherries and crumbled blue cheese.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Then a medley of sauteed vegetables of zucchini, summer squash and snap peas.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Followed by a twice baked potato with cheddar cheese and chives.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Our friends brought homemade cheesecake and fresh raspberries with fresh blackberries (no photo).
A perfectly matched food and wine meal. We also enjoyed some other wines during the late afternoon (2021 Laird Sauvignon Blanc with appetizers) and with dinner a 2010 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2022 Wood Family Vineyard Bourbon Barrel red wine. All were top notch and enjoyable wines.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Sláinte,
Michael