Deep purple-ruby color; blackberry, black raspberry, tart cherry, plum, redcurrant, strawberry, baking spice, leather, oak on the nose and palate.
Dry (0.24 g/L RS); significant tannins nicely integrate with acidity (3.85 pH; 5.0 g/L TA). Medium body.
Blend of 43% cabernet franc, 30% merlot, 27% tannat from four Virginia vineyards: Quaker Run, Capstone, Shenandoah Springs, Sherman Ridge. Early Mountain particularly is enamored with the interplay between cab franc and tannat, with tannat supplying tannic backbone and structure and beefing up the body. Merlot delivers smoothness and ripe red fruit. Wine aged 16 months in French and northern European larger format barrels, 35% new, provides subtle oak notes and mellowing. Recommend decanting to fully integrate the flavors and tannat’s tannic contribution; wine becomes much smoother and rounder with exposure to air. 13.7% ABV
The 2022 vintage was a relatively benign adventure with some rain challenges, but all within normal Virginia patterns and further mitigated by being varied among the four vineyards supplying the fruit. The winemaker Maya Hood White notes: “Novum has always held a special place in our hearts, as it uniquely expresses the vintage. The present aromas are a vibrant symphony of bright currants, fresh straw, and succulent red plum, all exuding an invigorating sense of freshness and vitality. These lively notes gracefully lead into delightful confectionery characteristics, while also revealing a subtle, earthy complexity of tarragon, mushroom, and tobacco.”
Early Mountain Vineyards owner Jean Case also is chairman of the National Geographic Society and CEO of the Case Impact Network and the Case Foundation. The website notes she “is a philanthropist, investor and internet and impact investing pioneer who is a passionate believer in the power of business to do good and advocates for the importance of embracing a more fearless approach to innovate and bring about transformational breakthroughs.”
Maya Hood White is the winemaker and viticulturalist. She is an advocate of environmentally low-impact viticulture. Julia Graves is the assistant winemaker. She earned a MS degree in Vine, Wine, and Terroir Management from Ecole Supérieure d’Agricultures in Angers, France.
Early Mountain Vineyards Novum, Virginia 2022 is lively, tasty and unusual dark fruit blend of Virginia grapes—cab franc, merlot, and tannat. Early Mountain particularly embraces synergy of cab franc and tannat. A must-try wine both as a blend you seldom encounter and as an excellent example of a Virginia wine (Texas and Virginia basically produce same volume of wine, tied for fifth most in the U.S.) $60
Pairing—gamey meats; lamb with rosemary and tarragon; duck; venison; grilled and seasoned meats; barbecue, flame-grilled T-bone steak; slow-cooked beef ragù topped with pecorino cheese; pork tenderloin, grilled or pan-seared pork chops, baby back ribs; roasted, grilled chicken, herb-roasted chicken with thyme, rosemary, garlic, and splash of wine. Cheese—gruyère, aged cheddar, manchego, pecorino romano, parmigiano-reggiano, fontina, aged gouda, gorgonzola dolce.
Early Mountain Vineyard website
