Vintners Red, 2016. Abstruse (Mt. Veeder)

Napa Valley is approximately 46,000 acres. By comparison, Bordeaux is 280,000 acres, which technically means there's no comparison. Yet, Napa Valley accounts for less than 10% of all the land in Napa County. So, it's a relatively small piece of the pie, but that doesn't undermine its significance, or its diversity.

Rob and Kat McDonald of Art+Farm are well aware of that. They not only put Napa Valley on their wines, but also the precise location of that vineyard. You can breakdown the topography of a vineyard into three very basic categories; mountain, hillside and valley floor. Not only can the wines taste different based on the topography, they can also taste different with the same topography. They make look the same, but the grapes display the difference.

Our selection was grown on Mount Veeder, which is the southernmost and westernmost appellation in Napa. It is also one of the highest. These coordinates make it the coolest mountain in Napa. That means the grapes are on the vine longer and become more complex. Abstruse means difficult to understand. That's how most grape growers think about it.

Our blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc is nothing less than a powerful expression of the terrain. From the inky black color through the berry and bramble of the nose to the dense cassis and cherry on the palate, this is one incredible wine and should be consumed with incredible dishes like beef bourguignon or medallions of veal with black truffles.

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