LOKOYA

 

NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 2019 

 

Why Buy: A quartet of muscular, dynamic, small-lot wines from the great Lokoya Winery, headlined by two 100 pointers from the stellar 2019 vintage. Star winemaker Chris Carpenter has fashioned these beauts from prized mountain fruit (which intensifies flavor and improves tannic structure) and, as always, has kept yields low to ensure, not just quality, but also exactitude of expression.

 

What They're Saying: Jeb Dunnuck gushed over all four. Reviewing the 100-point Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, he singled out its "wealth of fruit and texture," "building tannins," "integrated oak," and "great, great finish," while he likened the 100-point Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon to "Château Latour ... [in its] stature and regalness," with "full-bodied richness and incredible concentration, as well as structure, on the palate." The 98-point Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon earned his esteem for being "rich ... gorgeously balanced, and lengthy on the palate," with "complexity, nuance, and balance." The Lokoya Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon was right there alongside in his scoring, claiming 97+ points; he hailed its "terrific purity, building, ripe tannins, bright acidity, and an undeniable sense of minerality on the finish."

 

The Story: The mission of Lokoya is simple, focused, and selfless in the best way possible: to showcase the literal fruits of four distinct mountain terroirs of Napa: Mt. Veeder, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, and Diamond Mountain. This is, of course, extraordinary raw material to work with, and in Carpenter, Lokoya has a genius of an artisan. Carpenter has an unerring sense of how to marry Old World classicism with New World fruit-forwardness. He also knows how to let the terroir speak through his wines. Here, that means four of the most famous mountains not just in Napa, but in all of the wine world. The deep, rocky soils could hardly be more ideal for producing world-class wine. But no less important an influence on these grapes is the many micro-climates that result from the steep, twisting mountain slopes.

 

Our Tasting Notes: The 100-pointers are masterpieces; as good as anything that has come out of Napa the past several years, with all the concentration and length we could hope for, but also all the definition, all the finesse, all the expressiveness. And their fruit-forwardness means they're ready to go right now, though you can, assuredly, cellar them for a few years more. The wines from Spring Mountain and Diamond Mountain are almost in that rarefied class, and we love the way that at the same time they deliver so much size and intensity and depth, they also manage to be so easy-going and drinkable. A simply stunning quartet of wines.

 

What to Pair Them With: We'd save the Cabernets from Howell Mountain and Mt. Veeder for special occasions, or for those moments when you want to sit back and slow down and savor the good things in life with a partner. The Cabernets from Spring Mountain and Diamond Mountain, meanwhile, are textbook wines for pairing up with a juicy grilled porterhouse or tomahawk, or rack of lamb, or roasted duck.

 

Fun Fact: Mt. Veeder is actually an ancient seabed, and has the longest growing season in Napa.


Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so rest assured: your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure your order today!

 

*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Summer 2024. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offeronly valid in CA, FL, and TX. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024.