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120 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 120 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 WINE #7: EARLY MOUNTAIN 2016 SHENANDOAH VALLEY CABERNET FRANC, VIRGINIA ($34) Presented by Aileen Sevier, Director of Marketing for Early Mountain Vineyards Virginia wine country has entered a new era. While wine grapes were rst planted there in 1607, their cultivation over the years has been largely fraught with hardship due to the state's challenging growing conditions. Whereas in 1995 only 40 wineries dared to cultivate in the hot and humid landscape, today more than 280 wineries have deed historical precedent in an effort to alter the vinous landscape. One of these agents of change, Early Mountain, is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville. The area sits on land rich with history: The rst landowner of the property was Revolutionary War veteran Lieuten - ant Joseph Early, the winery's namesake. Early served under General George Washington at Valley Forge and later hosted Washington's celebrated visit to the farm. Fast-forward to 2005, when Jess and Sharon Sweely plant- ed vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley. Their work paved the way for Steve and Jean Case to purchase the property in 2010 and establish Early Mountain winery two years later. Today the vineyards are planted to classic Bordeaux-type varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot, as well as experimental varieties like Malvasia Bianca, Sauvignon Blanc, and Tannat. By presenting the Early Mountain 2016 Shenandoah Val - ley Cabernet Franc, Aileen Sevier, the winery's Director of Marketing, aimed to show "Cabernet Franc is a variety that best represents the Virginia wine story, as it perfectly chan - nels terroir and expresses regionality." According to Sevier, Cabernet Franc grown in the Shenandoah Valley is more structurally aligned with Burgundy versus Bordeaux: "We look for a silky rather than an edgy tannic structure, and we favor the natural aromatic potential of the grape variety over notes of oak," Sevier said. A blend of fruit from two vineyards, the wine leads with an essence of juicy red fruit and cherry framed by forest oor and herbal notes. Silky, viscose, and rich without feeling heavy, the nish exudes savory umami notes of mushroom and damp soil. Only 212 cases were made. WINE #8: SILVERADO VINEYARDS 2014 MT. GEORGE VINE- YARD CABERNET FRANC, NAPA VALLEY ($45) Presented by Jon Emmerich, Winemaker for Silverado Vineyards Named after an abandoned mining town, Napa Valley's Silverado Vineyards was founded by Diane and Ron Miller in 1981. When reecting upon their journey as winegrowers, the Millers often evoke a quote from writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote that planting vines is like mining for precious metals: The winegrower must prospect to coax something of value out of the soil. Today the Millers farm 400 acres across six vineyard sites: Stags Leap Vineyard, Miller Ranch, Mt. George Vineyard, Soda Creek Ranch, Firetree Vineyard, and Vineburg Vineyard. Its wines are produced exclusively with estate-grown fruit, in - cluding the Silverado 2014 Cabernet Franc, which hails from Mt. George Vineyard in the Coombsville AVA. The site lies in the foothills of Mt. George, an extinct volcano that once blanketed the area with volcanic ash and subsequent alluvial ows of rich loam layered with cobblestones. This terrain induces drainage, while the deeper ash-based sub-soils retain water for the vine roots to retrieve as needed. Mt. George is planted mostly to Bordeaux varieties on west-facing slopes, on which cool morning air owing from the San Francisco Bay helps Cabernet Franc achieve a full ripeness without sacricing freshness. "I believe properly managed grapes should be able to retain their own acidity," Winemaker Jon Emmerich told the Game of Wines contestants. While the 2014 was harvested at a whopping 26.3 Brix, the wine was not overly powerful or "hot." Instead, it showed a lovely vivaciousness with notes of spicy red fruit, vanilla, and pepper. Bright acidity skated over slick tannins, resulting in a zesty but full mouthfeel in which cranberry, boysenberry, roasted herbs, and dark earth heralded a harmonious nish. Aileen Sevier serves as Director of Marketing for Virginia's Early Mountain Vineyards. Jon Emmerich, Winemaker for Napa Valley's Silverado Vineyards, with his beloved GEO.