Wine Advisor
Lokoya, Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The magnificent 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder boasts an extraordinary perfume of lead pencil shavings intermixed with charcoal, blueberries, blackberries, and cassis. This provocative Cabernet possesses the highest tannin level, but also the most concentration, texture, and depth. As it sits in the glass, scents of flowers, espresso roast, and black fruits emerge. A tour de force in Cabernet Sauvignon, it requires 4-5 years of aging, and should last for two decades. When this winery gets everything right, they produce some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignons made in northern California. The 1997s were magical, as were the 2001s. The 2002s complete a trilogy of great vintages and potentially long-lived classics of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new French oak, with malolactic in barrel, and no fining or filtration. They are softer, more precocious, and higher in alcohol (15% across the board) than the 2001s. Tel. (800) 600-6899; Fax (800) 600-5895
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Absolutely perfect, the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder comes from a terroir that seems to produce magical wines (for example, 1997 and 2001). Aged in 100% new French oak with malolactic in barrel and no fining or filtration, this 2002 came in at 15% alcohol. Prodigious notes of incense, lead pencil shavings, black raspberry liqueur, blueberries, blackberries and cassis give this wine a stunning perfume. Full-bodied, opulent, voluptuously textured and built like a skyscraper on the mid-palate and finish, this is profound mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that should hit its peak in 5-7 years and last for 30 years thereafter. Wow! Kudos to Chris Carpenter and the Jackson Family. Chris Carpenter, who has long worked for the Jackson family, continues to fashion some of the most profound wines of Napa Valley. The Diamond Mountain cuvee comes from the Reverdy Vineyard, the Howell Mountain offering comes from the Keyes Vineyard owned by the Jacksons, and their own Veeder Peak Vineyard is the source for Lokoya’s Mt. Veeder cuvee. All three are 500-case lots made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, bottled unfined and unfiltered, and are meant to last 25-30 years. Nearly every vintage produced to date has been spectacular, with the highlights for me being the 1997s, 2001s and these 2002s. Tel. (707) 948-1968; Fax (707) 944-2824
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Deep ruby. Cassis, violet, licorice and espresso on the nose. Intensely flavored and sharply delineated, with lovely early sweetness and excellent volume. Powerful flavors of berry liqueur and violet. Winemaker Chris Carpenter uses 100% new barrels that he describes as "soft." The wine's tannins, he says, come entirely from the fruit. Finishes firmly tannic and very long. A very strong showing.
About the Producer
Lokoya has long been one of leading wineries in the Kendall-Jackson Small Estates portfolio. Lokoya consistently produces some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignons from four of Napa Valley's most renowned mountain appellations: Mount Veeder, Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain District, and Spring Mountain District. These single-vineyard wines, made in very limited quantities, are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented with native yeast, and bottled unfined and unfiltered — resulting in the purest expression of place. They are powerful wines that reflect the intense individuality of each mountain. Sparse soils, high elevations, good drainage and the cool climates of the mountains form the backbone for these intense Cabernet Sauvignons. The Lokoya name honours the Native American tribe who lived on Mount Veeder in the western mountains of the Napa Valley prior to the arrival of viticulture in the 19th century. Paying tribute to those who farmed the Napa soils before them, Lokoya Cabernet reflects the soils and microclimates of the Napa Valley.
