Au Sommet 2019 is a mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from the top of Atlas Peak, made by Heidi Barrett. Smoke from wildfires meant there was no 2018 or 2020, so the 2019 sits between two missing vintages.
About This Wine
The vineyard sits at around 2,100 feet (640 metres) on the volcanic slopes of Atlas Peak, above the valley fog, and the wine is Cabernet Sauvignon with a few per cent of Petit Verdot. Antonio Galloni scored the 2019 97 points in January 2022 and called it a classic mountain wine with dark fruit, gravel and graphite, savoury herbs, chocolate and menthol, and plenty of depth and structure.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Blackcurrant and black cherry, with gravel, graphite and savoury herbs.
- Palate: Full and dense, with ripe fruit, cocoa and firm but polished mountain tannins.
- Finish: Long, with menthol, chocolate and a mineral finish.
Serving & Food
Decant for about two hours and serve at 17°C in Bordeaux glasses. It will keep improving until around 2035 and last well beyond. Try it with a dry-aged porterhouse, lamb rack with rosemary, or braised beef brisket.
How to Enjoy
Napa Cabernet fans who prefer mountain structure to valley-floor plushness, and bottles to cellar for the next decade.
Product Details
Producer: Au Sommet
Country: USA
Region: Atlas Peak, Napa Valley, California
Vintage: 2019
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Petit Verdot
Winemaker: Heidi Barrett
Vineyard Height: About 2,100 ft (640 m)
Volume: 750mL
About the Winery
Heidi Barrett grew up in a Napa winemaking family. She made the wine at Dalla Valle from 1988 to 1996 and at Screaming Eagle from 1992 to 2006, the period when both became famous.
Her experience with the hillside fruit at Dalla Valle carried over to Au Sommet, where she has worked with owner John Schwartz since the first vintage in 2008. Barrett also makes wine under her own La Sirena label.