This is a stunning debut from all-star Aaron Pott and an incredible, organically farmed Spring Mountain estate vineyard that is seven years in the making!
Proprietors Jon & Joanne Goldstein are loving stewards of land belonging to foxes, wild peacocks, bluebirds, and coyotes. Whether building with reclaimed timber or farming organically, they are advocates for the natural sanctuary their vineyard inhabits. Fe occupies an elevated bench in the narrowest stretch of the Napa Valley, amid nearly two thousand acres of untamed parkland. This pocket of Spring Mountain feels far removed from the rest of wine country. The property is north of St. Helena along the same strip of benchland as Grace, Tychson Hill and Vineyard 29.
Fe (pronounced FEE) is the atomic symbol for iron, a substance that saturates the ruddy soils of Jon & Joanne’s Spring Mountain estate. Inspired by the vineyards iron-rich earth, Fe is a wine of strength and beauty, forged for the ages.
Fe’s winemaker, Aaron Pott (Pott Wines, Seven Stones, Perliss, Blackbird Vineyards), selected the clones of Cabernet and designed the vineyard with Pina Vineyard Management in 2013. The land had never been planted to any type of crop before and has been farmed organically since day one. Aaron’s winemaking process begins in the vineyard, where they planted the proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot that they aim for in the final blends. Six densely planted vineyard-blocks are cane-pruned to create a shade canopy in the heat of summer. In the fall nitrogen-fixing cover crops are planted rather than adding artificial soil amendments, and pests are kept at bay by providing a thriving habitat for winged predators. A forested preserve shoulders the estate on two sides, further cooling the vines with its natural shade. The soil is composed of volcanic rock that is rich in iron, or Fe as it is seen on the periodic table of elements, helping to promote chlorophyll production and thus photosynthesis. The surface layer is rocky and well-drained while sublayers of loam and clay hold moisture down below. These conditions can make for brutal, tannic wines, but Fe is notable for its silky-smooth texture and finesse. Fe acquired California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) certification earlier this year.
Aaron brings a Premier Grand Cru Classé mentality and a Burgundian education to the Fe cellar. All of the fruit is harvested by hand in the coolest hours of the morning, keeping it chilled throughout sorting and processing allowing for optimal freshness. The grapes are sorted three times before crushing, then follow a gentle gravity-fed protocol. In true Aaron Pott form, fermentations are spontaneous and macerations are long and slow. Using a diverse array of new and gently seasoned oak softens tannins and imparts subtle aromatics and delicate spice to the wine without altering the shining qualities of the fruit.
With elements of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.2% Petit Verdot, 3.6% Malbec, and 0.2% Cabernet Franc, this wine is technically delicious! Aged 19 months in 60% new and 40% once-used French oak barrels from Taransaud, Bossuet and Sylvain. Over-the-top Cabernet like only Aaron can…“Tobacco, leather, plum, blackberry, black truffle, porcini, nutmeg, blueberry, cherry, and creamy espresso. A very rich attack turns to chocolate, coffee, plum, and cherry on the mid palate. Plump and plush, the wine finishes with great length and tannins like velvet; plum, cherry, dark chocolate, ending rich and smooth with extremely light grain tannin.” ~Aaron Pott
