It would be almost impossible for Morgan Maurèze, the winemaker at Napa Valley’s Seven Apart, to make bad wine. His father and mother were both winemakers—fifth-generation and third-generation, respectively—so his childhood was full of grapes, vines, and viticulture. His teen gigs were in vineyards and production facilities, and his schooling was at the University of Bordeaux, where he worked at little local wineries you may have heard of: Château Petrus, Château Haut-Brion and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
When he landed in Napa, he worked alongside the legendary Andy Erickson, who helped establish Napa powerhouses Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estates, alongside cult Chardonnay houses Kongsgaard. Erickson helped establish Seven Apart, and now, Maurèze is running with it. His approach is to dig into how cool the winery’s current holdings are. They have a vineyard at Stags Ridge—right at the tippy top of Atlas Peak. They also have a vineyard at the bottom of the mountain, right along Napa’s historic Silverado Trail.
The Expedition Cabernet Sauvignon is made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the base of the mountain, picked primarily in the dead of night to ensure they keep cool. Rich and earthy, packed with enveloping notes of clove and blackberry that only blooms if you decant it for an hour too. It’s bold and balanced now, but will sing in five years. $555 for three.
Kate Dingwall is a sommelier and wine writer. Her work frequently appears in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.
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