Cain Cuvee NV12 Napa Valley

People ask, why blend vintages? We ask, why not? The benefits of blending vintages can work similarly to blending varieties. A wine with layers of complexity, wrapped around a balanced and flowing core is our quest. We also want a wine with individuality, a specific personality, so we have found that working with just two vintages is best.

The NV12 is a happy blend of the warm, generous 2012 vintage and the cool, aromatic, and structured wines of 2011. The beautiful perfume of our mountains floats ethereally over a round, plump, inviting wine. It is complex, a blend of the Cabernet family, dominated by Merlot (almost half).

However, more than varieties or even vintages, think place: the NV12 is about half valley floor and half Spring Mountain fruit. The perfume and structure of the wines of the mountains combine with the supple juiciness of our wines from the valley floor to create a delicious, ethereal blend.

Origin alone does not tell the whole story. We handle the fruit gently, with a limited extraction, followed by a restrained élévage. We have seen that this leads to a lively, vibrant wine: complex and pleasingly palate cleansing on release, along with a tremendous potential to age. Those who know the Cain Cuvée know that it is not heavy, not big, and not sweet. In a word, it is not “The Prisoner.” There is no sugar and the alcohol is a true thirteen and a half percent. Our Cuvée sits lightly on the palate, it is refined and refreshing, and it goes perfectly with a wide array of lighter dishes, from salad to pasta to grilled fish.

Vintages
59% 2012, 41% 2011

Varietal Blend
50% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec. Alc. 13.4%

Vineyard Locations
58% Spring Mountain District, 42% Valley Floor, 100% Napa Valley.

About Cain Vineyard & Winery
Cain Vineyard & Winery overlooks St. Helena from the top of Spring Mountain in the western mountains of the Napa Valley. The estate vineyard is planted to the classic set of fi ve varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. We make three wines: Cain Cuvée, Cain Concept representing the classical benchlands of the Napa Valley, and our signature blend, Cain Five.