Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/518118
june 2015 / the tasting panel / 77 GEOgraphy Emmerich is a longstanding fan of Coombsville, especially Silverado's stake there, which boasts being the oldest vineyard in Napa Valley's newest AVA. The Coombsville AVA or "The Avenues" as the area east of Napa is referred to by locals, was approved as the 16th appellation in Napa Valley in 2011. At 11,000 acres, the appellation's terroir is distinct from the valley floor and surrounding mountain sites in many ways; base soils here are volcanic rhyolitic tuff, con- solidated volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount George (not to be confused with tufa, a calcareous limestone formed by water), that ring the mountain. Vineyards—including Silverado's Mount George—are sited on Coombs Gravelly Loam and Forward Loam, littered with featherweight chunks of tuff and underlying deposits of volcanic ash from now-dormant Mount George. "I love Coombsville. Coombsville is cool, literally. That factor, combined with it unique terroir, creates beautiful, unique wines," said Emmerich, who points out that the longer growing season is attributed to moderating fog from San Pablo Bay that keeps things warmer in the winter and cooler during the sum- mer. The net effect of the terroir is apparent in the resolved tannin structure, varietal typicity and minerality of the Bordeaux varieties planted at the Mount George Vineyard. The winery's first vintage for GEO was 2012, which is sched- uled for release in June. It is medium-bodied and showing cool, secondary notes of tobacco, lean, ripe cranberry, raspberry and cassis with a fine tannin structure and minerality through the finish. It shows all the style and structure that has made Coombsville Napa's best kept secret. At least for now. Silverado Vineyards' Estate-Driven Philosophy GEO is a bright, new feather in Silverado's exclusively estate-grown portfolio of wines, the vision for which started when the Millers first established the winery in 1981. The Silverado Vineyard in Stags Leap was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon when it was purchased by the family in 1978. It was one of the first three vineyards planted to Cabernet in this now-storied AVA. In 1984, the Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon was introduced, which launched the Miller family's exclusively-estate philosophy and led to the purchase of six distinct vineyard sites: the Silverado Vineyard in Stags Leap, Miller Ranch in Yountville, Mt. George in Coombsville, Soda Creek Ranch in Napa Valley, and Firetree and Vineburg in Carneros. The Miller's passion for exclusively estate-grown wines paved the way for GEO. "Both of our single-expression Cabernets—SOLO and GEO—are recog- nizable as high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon, but they're as different as siblings can be," he says. "Our accomplishment in Coombsville is marrying a historic vineyard with superior Bordeaux varieties. By respecting the site and using restraint in the cellar, you're able to taste the essence of the Mount George Vineyard and its extraordinary earth. Thus the name GEO, short for George and Greek for Earth." "I love Coombsville. Coombsville is cool, Literally." — Jon Emmerich