WINE REVIEW: History breeds success for one Napa Valley winery,
More than a century has passed since Spottswoode Winery’s storied history began to unfold when George Schonewald immigrated to the United States in the 1870s. Schonewald established his summer residence in rural Napa Valley, California, and planted 17 acres of vineyards on his 31acre estate. This neighborhood would later become the St. Helena AVA, recognized as one of the premier wine- growing regions in Napa Valley.
In an adjacent parcel of land, George Kraft built a winery, which was used as the cellar to barrel age Schonewald’s wines. After changing hands several times, the Schonewald property was acquired by the Spotts family, which renamed the property Spottswoode. Struggling to survive during Prohibition, the Spotts family sold grapes to Christian brothers for sacramental wine. Afterward, they continued to sell their harvest to other producers.
Traveling from San Diego to Napa Valley in the 1970s, Jack and Mary Novak were attracted to the Spottswoode Estate, falling in love with the property and surrounding gardens. In 1972, Jack Novak left his medical practice and moved his young family of five to St. Helena.
The Novaks purchased additional acreage and began replanting the vineyards with Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. Five years later, Jack died suddenly after a heart attack, and Mary was left to pursue their dream and manage the estate with her family.
To create revenue, Mary chose to sell grapes to local Napa wineries such as Duckhorn and Shafer. By 1982, Spottswoode had decided to produce its own wine. The first vintage was released under the guidance of winemaker Tony Soter, who stayed on until 1997 and introduced organic farming into the vineyard program.
In 2002, Spottswoode created a second label designated Lyndenhurst, which was sourced from estate vineyards along with grapes purchased from Napa Valley. Spottswoode has had a wealth of acclaimed winemakers throughout its history, including Soter, Mia Klein, Pam Starr, Rosemary Cakebread and their present winemaker, Aron Weinkauf, who has held the reins since 2011.
After an internship at Paul Hobbs Winery, Weinkauf came on board with a belief in “strict attention to detail.” He is an artisan, not wanting to become stagnant, but instead dedicated to achieving excellence in the winery. From a quality perspective, he acknowledges it is critical where and how Spottswoode farms their vineyards.
Spottswoode achieved prominence and notable success staying true to its identity and avoiding stylish trends. The winemaking style has remained consistent and classic, like a finely woven fabric. Not surprisingly, Spottswoode garners high scores for its efforts and retains an extremely loyal following. The upcoming 2015 and 2010 vintages received a perfect 100- point score from wine critic Robert Parker. He referred to Spottswoode as the Chateau Margaux of Napa Valley.
Mary Novak passed in September 2016 at the age of 84, but her legacy has been continued by her daughters, Beth Novak Milliken, who serves as president, and Lindy Novak, who is the national marketing director.
2016 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc: This wine is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc from vineyards in Napa ( Hyde, Stagecoach) and Sonoma Mountain. Yellow crystalline color with bright floral aromatics of green stone fruits, pink grapefruit and white melon, it has a lovely weight and incredible density for a Sauvignon Blanc. It’s juicy with a zesty lift of tropical fruits in the background.
2014 Lynden hurst Cabernet Sauvignon: This wine is named for one of the former names of the historic property. It is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon ( 90 percent) and has an opaque purple rim revealing a luxurious silky mouthfeel of crème de cassis and blackberry jam. This younger sibling of the estate Cabernet has a richness with fruit purity throughout.
2014 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Inky purple in color, this sophisticated and complex wine features sweet wild berries, high- toned fruitcake spices and dark mocha. It is youthful and multidimensional with impeccable balance. It will need time to achieve its ultimate potential.