Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

A perfectly classic Napa Valley Cabernet, Adaptation is made by the folks from Plumpjack and CADE. Partners Gavin Newson, Gordon Getty and John Conover, created Odette Estate in the fall of 2011, by incorporating the historic Stelzner property in the Stags Leap District into their vision.  The 45-acre estate, originally purchased by the Steltzner family in 1964, was tucked into the dramatic palisades of the Stags Leap District, just east of Silverado Trail. After purchasing the property, Richard and Christine Steltzner converted the open land to vineyards in 1970 and sold the grapes on the property through their own vineyard management company. The Steltzner vineyard was the second in the district planted to cabernet sauvignon grapes, following one planted in the 1960s by Nathan Fay, now owned by Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. It wasn’t until 1977 that the Steltzners realized the potential of their Stags Leap District property and decided to make their own wine. 

In 1980, the first 500 cases of wine from the property were released under the Steltzner Vineyards label. The brand produced a wide variety of wines, including Bordeaux varieties and Syrah. Over the years, the couple slowly expanded their winery in the Stags Leap District to include a tasting room, underground tunnels and a cave--one of the first modern caves built in Napa Valley. But then the time came for them to pass the torch, and the Steltzners wanted to make sure their property was going to be in good hands. 

In early 2012, the Steltzners sold the winery and surrounding vineyards to Newsom, Getty and Conover, making the trio just the second owners to farm the vineyard. “The PlumpJack Family was presented with an opportunity to purchase an exceptional vineyard from pioneering grape grower Dick Steltzner,” Conover said. “The unique terroir of this vineyard reflects our vision and commitment to estate‐grown wines, allows us to produce wines from the Stags Leap District, and helps meet a growing demand for exceptional wines.”

The vineyards were re-planted and converted to 100 percent organic farming, in accordance with the PlumpJack Group’s continued commitment to organic viticulture.  Renowned young architect Juan Carlos Fernandez, whose striking modern design of CADE Estate Winery, among other projects, has drawn widespread acclaim, was tapped to design the new winery. Like CADE Estate, the new winery at Odette Estate would be built to achieve LEED Gold certification. Both achievements would be recognized in 2017, with Odette Estate Winery earning Gold LEED certification for the winery and California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) for the vineyards. 

The small, state-of-the-art winery building would become one of just a handful of wineries to feature a living green roof, planted to grasses and plants. In addition to the vegetation, the roof also contains 2,500 square feet of solar panels. The winemaking laboratory, constructed from recycled shipping containers from China, is the only one of its kind in the Napa Valley.

The 2017 Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon is made mostly from fruit from Ink Grade (on the back side of Howell Mountain), which provides the framework and structure to carry this wine. To balance out the blend, they incorporated vineyards from Pope Valley, the Stags Leap District and Oak Knoll, all of which complement the abundance of tannin, color and structure already in place. Look for beautiful ripeness with elegant tannins, depth and complexity, delivering notes of red cherries, blueberries, currants, forest floor, mocha, cocoa powder and crushed rocks. Bright acidity adds freshness and verve to the multi-dimensional mouthfeel leading into the long persistent finish. Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2% Petite Sirah.