Napa Daytrip, Apr 2026, Matthiasson, Mt. Brave
Napa
Tasted Sunday, May 3, 2026 by rnjbond with 27 views
Introduction
To celebrate our dear friend becoming a father, we had a small, intimate "dadchelor" party, which was a day of wine tasting with six of us.
I thought it would be fun to start with Matthiasson, which is known their more restrained, lower ABV style, very different from what the group may be used to.
Then, after Matthiasson, lunch at Gott's Roadside, which happened to coincide with the 150th anniversary of St. Helena. After Gott's, we still had some time, so stopped by Oakville Wine Merchant and enjoyed a few splashes there (no detailed notes, but my favorite pour was likely Fortune Son: The Dreamer).
After that, it was Mt. Brave, known for their powerful, concentrated wines. Figured the contrast would make for a fun day!
It was a little chilly and overcast for most of the day, outside of lunch at Gott's, but we still made the most of it!
Flight 1 - Matthiasson (9 Notes)
I've had Matthiasson only once, at a tasting at K&L in San Francisco.
But I've heard so much about the winery and loved the idea of a more restrained, lower ABV wine and Matthiasson definitely delivered.
The experience was enjoyable, we had a private tasting and our host was generous enough to open multiple wines beyond the set list. We also got to do some side-by-side, which made the experience really fun! Speaking of glasses, I always appreciate good stemware and the use of the Gabriel Glas was a nice touch.
I was also very pleasantly surprised by the success Matthiasson has had with Italian grapes. I'm slowly getting on board the idea that Italian grapes can grow in California (although debatable if they'll reach the heights of Cabernet and Pinot).
Flight 2 - Mr. Brave (5 Notes)
By the time we got to Mt. Brave, which was a long, long drive uphill, it was a little chilly and damp, but we were still able to enjoy the lovely views!
This experience took place at the Spire collection, which is a beautiful property on Mt. Veeder.
Our private tasting took place inside a heated tent, which was a nice touch.
The wines performed really well, as expected.
I really appreciate that the wines had been given a lot of air to open up, meaning the wines weren't overly tight, which can be a real worry with mountain wines.
Only nitpick here, something about the 2016 La Jota Merlot felt a little off, even though I know it's a really good wine, having had a bottle last year. But that's okay, the rest made up for it!
Closing
What a wonderful day!
Made it through a long day, celebrated our friend in style, and then returned to the city where we continued the celebrations for much longer than expected!
2024 Matthiasson Chardonnay Linda Vista Vineyard 86 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
Notes of limestone, lemon, lime, peach.
Young, bright. Could use a touch more time.
86 points.
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2021 Matthiasson Chardonnay Michael Mara Vineyard 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Tasted at the winery.
Picked up citrus, lemon peel, with slight ashiness on the palate.
Lovely acidity. Good body and structure.
87 points.
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2022 Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla 87 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
Skin contact, fermented in clay vessels.
Picked up white nectarine, white peach.
Nice structure on the palate.
87 points.
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2024 Matthiasson Schioppettino 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
Picked up saunf (fennel), star anise, sour cherry candy, red plum.
More savory than fruity, which I appreciated.
I love seeing Italian varietals growing well in California!
88 points.
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2023 Matthiasson Refosco Matthiasson Vineyard 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
Picked up blueberry, pomegranate seeds, grapefruit, pepper jam.
Peppery throughout.
Got a jerky (vegan) note that worked, in a good way.
Another Italian red varietal grown well in Napa!
89 points.
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2022 Matthiasson Merlot Cressida Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
Notes of dark plum, baking spices, juicy without being jammy.
Velvety tannins, nice acid.
In a good place now.
90 points.
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2023 Matthiasson Cabernet Franc 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
Big green bell pepper on the nose!
Picked up dark cherry, plum skins, pomegranate, eucalyptus, tomato leaf, with herbaceous notes throughout.
Cab Franc being unmistakably Cab Franc.
This was one of the consensus favorites among the group, especially for those who haven't had wines where Cabernet Franc features predominantly.
90 points.
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2022 Matthiasson Cabernet Sauvignon Phoenix Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
Picked up slight bell pepper, wet stones, jalapeño, savory and vegetal notes, mixed pepper, dark plum.
Distinctive profile, leans more savory than fruity.
Pretty unique among Napa Cabs in this style.
90 points.
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2017 Matthiasson Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted at the winery.
I continue to believe 2017 is an overly-maligned vintage in Napa.
Picked up eucalyptus, graphite, raspberry, blueberry, cocoa, cinnamon, slight bell pepper, tomato leaf.
Settled tannins, nice acidity.
Drinking nicely right now.
91 points.
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