On the heels of their latest signature release, Karen Fontanella of Fontanella Family Winery reflects on how far she and her husband, Jeff, have come since originally laying their foundations at the flagship estate on Patrick Road in 2005.
“This wine is really the essence of Fontanella,” shared Karen about the 2020 Mt. Veeder Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. “Jeff and I purchased the property when it was only a house and land. We spent years learning the land, soil, exposures and eventually began planting the estate vineyard,” Fontanella continued, explaining how when the winery was built in 2008, the brand was launched that same year, but the estate wasn’t planted until 2012. “This wine is a culmination of years of hard work, passion, experience and commitment.”
As locals know, the 2020 growing season was warm and dry, which created drought stress and a challenge for the vineyards to produce typical yields. Similar to other winemakers in the valley, Fontanella embraced the hardship as an opportunity to produce less wine of greater quality as they saw how the small, intensely flavored berries reminded them that “sometimes good things do come in small packages.”
The fruit for the 100 percent Mount Veeder estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the best vineyard blocks. “Jeff wants to work with the best fruit so he can make the best wines,” said Fontanella. The best barrels within those lots were then selected for the Estate Reserve before the wine was finally aged in 100% new French Oak to enhance the inherent characteristics of the mountain terroir.
“All wine starts and ends with the terroir,” said Fontanella about Mt. Veeder’s ability to produce grapes of intensity yet elegance with rich aromatics and layers of flavor. “Jeff is a winemaker focused on showcasing what a vineyard can do and he picked this particular site because he knew the potential in it for making exceptional wines, and he was right.”
The 2020 Estate Reserve is garnet-purple and opaque in the glass with complex aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry, and dried currants that mingle with floral notes, anise, and dried leaves. On the palate, Fontanella described “earthy notes mixed with intense dark berry fruit” with high acidity and layers of ground coffee, warm caramel, and allspice. There is some nuanced toastiness from the 36 months the wine spends on 100% new French Oak, yet it’s balanced and integrated into the bouquet and palate.
“While modest by nature, Jeff is truly a master of his trade, and you can taste how beautifully he balances farming, science, and art all in a bottle of wine,” said Fontanella. “If you have wanted to taste a wine that was Jeff’s from soil to glass, the Estate Reserve is it.” Yet, there are only 100 cases available, so one should secure a bottle while they still can.
