Napa Valley winemaker Lisa TogniStunning Spring Mountain Cabernet
Tina Gellie
It’s always refreshing to catch up with Napa Valley winemaker Lisa Togni, who has been making wines on Spring Mountain with her father at his eponymous Philip Togni Vineyard since 2000. The Tognis have earned a reputation for ageworthy ‘Margaux-type’, Cabernet-focused blends. Their 18 blocks over 4.2ha have been organic from day one – back in 1975 when Philip (then winemaker at Cuvaison) began to clear land near the top of the mountain, at 600m, to start his own project. Since 1987, the estate’s main label wine has followed the plantings: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot (with the plush second wine, Tanbark Hill, made of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, generally with some ‘declassified’ main label wine mixed in). This consistency means the vintage shines through, making a vertical tasting especially exciting.
At a tasting organised by new UK importer Justerini & Brooks, Lisa showcased the 2019 Tanbark Hill and 2019 and 2014 main label wines (POA) alongside vintages 2018, 2013, 2008, 2004, 1999. Decanter’s Napa correspondent Jonathan Cristaldi gave the 2019 main label 99pts, describing it as ‘pure, savoury black magic’ – a description equally suited to the very limited 2014 library release: earthy spice, exotic tobacco, inky hedgerow berries and silky tannins, just entering its drinking window now.
Discovering reds from southern Hungary
Sylvia Wu
The 2024 Hungarian Wine Summit brought me south down the river Danube, where a diverse range of
