Cain Vineyard & Winery 'Cain Cuvée NV18' Red Blend, Napa Valley, California NV18
Cain Vineyard & Winery was founded in 1980 when Jerry and Joyce Cain purchased 550 acres of the historic McCormick Ranch high on Spring Mountain, planting the five classic Bordeaux varieties with the intention of producing a mountain estate blend. The property passed to Jim and Nancy Meadlock in 1991, and it was under their stewardship that Chris Howell — who joined in 1990 after formative experience at Château Mouton Rothschild, with André Tchelistcheff at Clos Pegase, and at Peter Michael Winery — became both winemaker and general manager, a role he has held for over three decades. Howell is one of Napa Valley's most philosophically committed terroir-driven winemakers: harvesting earlier than convention dictates, favoring native yeast fermentation, minimal extraction, and restrained oak — an approach that yields wines of uncommon freshness and savory complexity within the Napa canon. The Cain Cuvée has been produced since the late 1980s as an accessible, food-first expression of the property's Bordeaux blending philosophy, and has blended two vintages since 1998. The NV designation in Cain's naming convention is not "non-vintage" in the traditional sense but rather "eN-Vy" — a play on the French word for envy — with the numeral indicating the dominant vintage year. In September 2020, the Glass Fire destroyed the winery, most of the estate vineyard, and the entire 2019 and 2020 vintages; the NV18 represents one of the final releases to emerge from the pre-fire era at Cain.
- WINEMAKER: Chris Howell
- FARMING: Dry-farmed, sustainably managed estate vineyards in the Spring Mountain District, complemented by select valley-floor parcels. Vineyard work emphasizes canopy balance and biodiversity, with minimal chemical inputs. Approximately 550-acre property with 85 acres under vine at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 2,100 feet on the Mayacamas range above St. Helena. Longstanding, highly specialized seven-person vineyard crew, many with tenures exceeding two decades.
- VARIETY: 41% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc. Vintages: 2017 and 2018. The estate Cain Vineyard on Spring Mountain contributes over three-quarters of the total (78%), split evenly between the two vintages; valley floor Merlot (22%) provides the silky-fruity base. The 2017 component is drawn primarily from Merlot harvested before the October wildfires, contributing perfume and freshness; 2018 adds depth and structure.
- TERROIR: The Cain Vineyard sits in a natural bowl near the crest of Spring Mountain in the Mayacamas Mountains, at elevations between 1,400 and 2,100 feet. Thin, rocky volcanic soils, steep terraced blocks, and diverse aspect and exposure — facing multiple directions across numerous small plots — yield low natural yields and wines of pronounced herbal, floral, and mineral character. The 2017 vintage component was harvested largely before the October wildfires, providing perfume and freshness. The 2018 vintage was a rich, balanced year that supplied depth and structure to complete the blend.
- VINIFICATION: Native yeast fermentation; minimal extraction to achieve a supple, perfumed style. Selected lots receive an additional year of barrel aging prior to blending, adding complexity to the final assemblage. The wine is blended for "freshness, lightness, complexity, and balance" — stated goals that define the Cuvée project across all releases.
- AGING: French oak barrels; reduced new oak and less frequent racking compared to the flagship Cain Five, consistent with a lighter, more table-friendly élévage.
- TASTING NOTES: The NV18 leads with perfumed aromatics — fresh berries, flowers, Douglas fir, and subtle herb — a hallmark of the mountain-grown Cabernet Franc component. The palate is round and supple, with valley floor Merlot providing a silky-fruity mid-palate. Firm structure underlies the richness, with complexity derived from the multi-vintage blend and the contrasting characters of 2017 (elegance, perfume) and 2018 (depth, fullness). The finish is savory and persistent.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Pasta with red sauce, grilled chicken, roasted lamb, steak frites, mushroom dishes.
Cain Vineyard & Winery 'Cain Cuvée NV18' Red Blend, Napa Valley, California NV18
Cain Vineyard & Winery was founded in 1980 when Jerry and Joyce Cain purchased 550 acres of the historic McCormick Ranch high on Spring Mountain, planting the five classic Bordeaux varieties with the intention of producing a mountain estate blend. The property passed to Jim and Nancy Meadlock in 1991, and it was under their stewardship that Chris Howell — who joined in 1990 after formative experience at Château Mouton Rothschild, with André Tchelistcheff at Clos Pegase, and at Peter Michael Winery — became both winemaker and general manager, a role he has held for over three decades. Howell is one of Napa Valley's most philosophically committed terroir-driven winemakers: harvesting earlier than convention dictates, favoring native yeast fermentation, minimal extraction, and restrained oak — an approach that yields wines of uncommon freshness and savory complexity within the Napa canon. The Cain Cuvée has been produced since the late 1980s as an accessible, food-first expression of the property's Bordeaux blending philosophy, and has blended two vintages since 1998. The NV designation in Cain's naming convention is not "non-vintage" in the traditional sense but rather "eN-Vy" — a play on the French word for envy — with the numeral indicating the dominant vintage year. In September 2020, the Glass Fire destroyed the winery, most of the estate vineyard, and the entire 2019 and 2020 vintages; the NV18 represents one of the final releases to emerge from the pre-fire era at Cain.
- WINEMAKER: Chris Howell
- FARMING: Dry-farmed, sustainably managed estate vineyards in the Spring Mountain District, complemented by select valley-floor parcels. Vineyard work emphasizes canopy balance and biodiversity, with minimal chemical inputs. Approximately 550-acre property with 85 acres under vine at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 2,100 feet on the Mayacamas range above St. Helena. Longstanding, highly specialized seven-person vineyard crew, many with tenures exceeding two decades.
- VARIETY: 41% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc. Vintages: 2017 and 2018. The estate Cain Vineyard on Spring Mountain contributes over three-quarters of the total (78%), split evenly between the two vintages; valley floor Merlot (22%) provides the silky-fruity base. The 2017 component is drawn primarily from Merlot harvested before the October wildfires, contributing perfume and freshness; 2018 adds depth and structure.
- TERROIR: The Cain Vineyard sits in a natural bowl near the crest of Spring Mountain in the Mayacamas Mountains, at elevations between 1,400 and 2,100 feet. Thin, rocky volcanic soils, steep terraced blocks, and diverse aspect and exposure — facing multiple directions across numerous small plots — yield low natural yields and wines of pronounced herbal, floral, and mineral character. The 2017 vintage component was harvested largely before the October wildfires, providing perfume and freshness. The 2018 vintage was a rich, balanced year that supplied depth and structure to complete the blend.
- VINIFICATION: Native yeast fermentation; minimal extraction to achieve a supple, perfumed style. Selected lots receive an additional year of barrel aging prior to blending, adding complexity to the final assemblage. The wine is blended for "freshness, lightness, complexity, and balance" — stated goals that define the Cuvée project across all releases.
- AGING: French oak barrels; reduced new oak and less frequent racking compared to the flagship Cain Five, consistent with a lighter, more table-friendly élévage.
- TASTING NOTES: The NV18 leads with perfumed aromatics — fresh berries, flowers, Douglas fir, and subtle herb — a hallmark of the mountain-grown Cabernet Franc component. The palate is round and supple, with valley floor Merlot providing a silky-fruity mid-palate. Firm structure underlies the richness, with complexity derived from the multi-vintage blend and the contrasting characters of 2017 (elegance, perfume) and 2018 (depth, fullness). The finish is savory and persistent.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Pasta with red sauce, grilled chicken, roasted lamb, steak frites, mushroom dishes.