2020 Keenan Capstone, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
93 Points ~ James Suckling
Tasting Notes
A 100% estate bottling of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot presents all the strengths of the Keenan Mountain top estate; great structure, deep dark fruit, and a classic balance of sweet and savory elements. This classic Bordeaux-styled blend will respond to many types of cuisine and will age gracefully in the cellar for many, many years. Drink now or decades from now.
‘The Big Vineyard,’ as we call it, was replanted in the late ’90s and is, as the name suggests, our largest contiguous vineyard on the estate. Situated on eastern and south-eastern exposure and sitting between 1800 and 1900ft in elevation, this vineyard is primed for Cabernet.
Specs
Vintage 2020
Varietals: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot
Appellation: Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
Alcohol: 14.3%
pH: 3.74
Residual Sugar: Dry
Total Acidity: 0.61 grams/100ml
Bottling Date: 7/7/2022
Production: 3,500 cases
What’s Included
2-bottles:
2x 2020 Keenan Capstone, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley Case:
12x 2020 Keenan Capstone, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
Combining both the art and science of winemaking, our passionate commitment to quality is evident in every aspect of producing world-class wines – from using only the finest grapes to the Portuguese cork in the bottle.
Keenan focuses on three varietals – Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. It produces nearly 14,000 cases per year. Combining the dedication of experienced winemakers with a commitment to excellence, the Robert Keenan Winery has distinguished itself as a maker of exceptional wines-- in limited varietals and quantity. Wines for sipping, wines for enjoying, wines for enhancing any occasion. In the last eight vintages, 42 wines have been rated between 90 and 97 points by Robert Parker Jr.
We invite you to visit historic Keenan Winery in the Spring Mountain District of the Napa Valley. Enjoy our handcrafted, small production wines produced by our solar-powered, sustainably farmed vineyards.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2020 Keenan Capstone Napa Valley Red Blend - $70 = 12.27%
High quality natural cork with very little penetration, deep dark staining. Wine pours a very opaque maroon in the glass, hints of ruby on the edge, no browning. Nose is a perfectly balanced ‘Bordeaux’ aroma, with plum, tomato leaf, earth and acrylic paint (but in a good way) all singing in harmony. Such a balanced, complex, deep nose. Little bit of heat and spice on the back end, no noticeable oak. Somewhat lighter and brighter on the palate than the nose and color suggests; medium body, not lush, full or chewy. Leads with plum, followed by earth, bramble fruit with a hint of bell pepper on the somewhat spicy, long finish. Little tannic grip, can’t tell if they’re resolved or absent. Balanced acidity, neither too much nor too little. Very smooth, balanced wine that has a hint of ‘green’ tannin that might resolve into something else given time and space.
My wife said “I like this. Rich, full body, fruity but not too fruity, earthy. This is what wine should taste like. I will drink it with food, I will drink it on its own, I’d drink it with friends, I’d drink it alone. Some wines are overly acidic and burn, some overly tannic or drying. This one is just right.”
Left on the counter overnight, the wine opens up with a little bit of herbal expression of lavender and tarragon and more muted fruit tones. White cherries, not Bing. It is a little more drying now, a little less electric. Mature and confident in its own skin. This is an exceptional wine, and as my wife said, everything a wine should be. Many thanks to Capstone for making an exceptional wine, to Alice and the WCC crew for pulling my name out of the hat, but only two cheers this time, as the boys in brown let me down with failed deliveries. Salut!
Well it’s a giddyup Friday apparently…and a good Friday it is, sipping on a new bean that’s pretty tasty…who cares right? Hell I don’t even care ha! Anyway…anything in the web-o-sphere, we know the scarved one checked in…
93 points. A soft and juicy red with blackberry, black-olive, violet and sandalwood character. Round, creamy tannins and a delicious finish. Some mint at the end. 9/22
Wine & Spirits:
93 points. Grown at Michael Keenan’s estate vineyards high up Spring Mountain, this blends cabernet sauvignon with 35 percent merlot. The wine smells like black cherry skins crushed to bring out their fragrance, the flavors extending to red currants, fruity dark chocolate and peppermint. It shares its elegance with savory red fruit length of flavor, cool and finessed. —J.G. 12/23
As to the Glass Fire, per the winery, this was harvested prior to the fire. Here is what they had to say, a couple of blurbs:
@kaolis
ooops, I quit too soon…
Wine Advocate. 89 points.
Drink Date: 2023 - 2030
Keenan’s 2020 Capstone is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Scents of dark earth, cedar-bark mulch and dark plum mark the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied, not that rich or expansive but more streamlined, then turning dusty and slightly astringent on the finish. Joe Czerwinski Mar 31, 2023
@jmdavidson1@rjquillin Yessir it does, but that is usually not accurate and WD is pretty good at dialing it in sometimes…if it’s before that I can ship a couple bottles up north, if that window is accurate, it would have to go south, and that would be a pass
@kaolis@rjquillin You’re right. I got two cases this week that weren’t supposed to arrive until next week. And… it took only two days to go from Petaluma to Chicago.
2020 Keenan Capstone, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
93 Points ~ James Suckling
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
2-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$918.00/Case for 12x 2020 Keenan Capstone, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley at Robert Keenan Winery
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jun 30 - Tuesday, Jul 1
2020 Keenan Capstone Napa Valley Red Blend
2 bottles for $94.99 $47.50/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $499.99 $41.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
/giphy blacktie
@kawichris650
Yowza!
We got some lucky rats out there.
@kookie00
Hoping so, soon…
@kookie00 @rjquillin yeah, especially with the somewhat high pH and RS numbers.
@klezman @kookie00
did I miss an RS number somewhere?
Never had a bad bottle of Keenan!
2020 ==> Fires ==> Smoke
Any comments on location of vineyard, dates of harvest WRT Smoke Taint?
Might a well ask early on.
@FritzCat
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2020 Keenan Capstone Napa Valley Red Blend - $70 = 12.27%
@jrbw3 @ttboy23 I would not mind ordering IF i have at least a 3-4 way split. Any interest in SE Michigan?
@kasandrae thinking hard (from MBJ airport)
@kasandrae sounds amazing but I’ve been a bit trigger happy lately. Will have to sit this one out.
High quality natural cork with very little penetration, deep dark staining. Wine pours a very opaque maroon in the glass, hints of ruby on the edge, no browning. Nose is a perfectly balanced ‘Bordeaux’ aroma, with plum, tomato leaf, earth and acrylic paint (but in a good way) all singing in harmony. Such a balanced, complex, deep nose. Little bit of heat and spice on the back end, no noticeable oak. Somewhat lighter and brighter on the palate than the nose and color suggests; medium body, not lush, full or chewy. Leads with plum, followed by earth, bramble fruit with a hint of bell pepper on the somewhat spicy, long finish. Little tannic grip, can’t tell if they’re resolved or absent. Balanced acidity, neither too much nor too little. Very smooth, balanced wine that has a hint of ‘green’ tannin that might resolve into something else given time and space.
My wife said “I like this. Rich, full body, fruity but not too fruity, earthy. This is what wine should taste like. I will drink it with food, I will drink it on its own, I’d drink it with friends, I’d drink it alone. Some wines are overly acidic and burn, some overly tannic or drying. This one is just right.”
Left on the counter overnight, the wine opens up with a little bit of herbal expression of lavender and tarragon and more muted fruit tones. White cherries, not Bing. It is a little more drying now, a little less electric. Mature and confident in its own skin. This is an exceptional wine, and as my wife said, everything a wine should be. Many thanks to Capstone for making an exceptional wine, to Alice and the WCC crew for pulling my name out of the hat, but only two cheers this time, as the boys in brown let me down with failed deliveries. Salut!
/giphy underrated-aquamarine-yak
Well it’s a giddyup Friday apparently…and a good Friday it is, sipping on a new bean that’s pretty tasty…who cares right? Hell I don’t even care ha! Anyway…anything in the web-o-sphere, we know the scarved one checked in…
93 points. A soft and juicy red with blackberry, black-olive, violet and sandalwood character. Round, creamy tannins and a delicious finish. Some mint at the end.
9/22
Wine & Spirits:
93 points. Grown at Michael Keenan’s estate vineyards high up Spring Mountain, this blends cabernet sauvignon with 35 percent merlot. The wine smells like black cherry skins crushed to bring out their fragrance, the flavors extending to red currants, fruity dark chocolate and peppermint. It shares its elegance with savory red fruit length of flavor, cool and finessed. —J.G. 12/23
As to the Glass Fire, per the winery, this was harvested prior to the fire. Here is what they had to say, a couple of blurbs:
blurb 1
blurb 2
fwiw
Edit: I see @rjquillin beat me to the punch, as usual
@kaolis
You were just too busy prospecting for other TN’s and grinding up those beans. What are they?
@kaolis
ooops, I quit too soon…
Wine Advocate. 89 points.
Drink Date: 2023 - 2030
Keenan’s 2020 Capstone is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Scents of dark earth, cedar-bark mulch and dark plum mark the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied, not that rich or expansive but more streamlined, then turning dusty and slightly astringent on the finish. Joe Czerwinski Mar 31, 2023
@rjquillin The beans? Columbia Street Roastery
@kaolis
Local roaster here Cafe Moto, generally get beans a couple days after roast. For a general blend we like the Blue Sky for home and work.
@rjquillin Columbia St ships recent beans, maybe a week old tops, they are kind of new to me. I’ll check your guys out, thanks
@Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 Sorry to be a pest asking this question again, estimate on ship date?
@kaolis Doesn’t it say June 30 - July 1?
@jmdavidson1 @kaolis
moar joe required!
@jmdavidson1 @rjquillin Yessir it does, but that is usually not accurate and WD is pretty good at dialing it in sometimes…if it’s before that I can ship a couple bottles up north, if that window is accurate, it would have to go south, and that would be a pass
@kaolis @rjquillin You’re right. I got two cases this week that weren’t supposed to arrive until next week. And… it took only two days to go from Petaluma to Chicago.
@jmdavidson1 @rjquillin That’s quick, that’s summer ship speed
Anyone in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) area open to a 2 or 3 way split?
@KitMarlot,
I would love to, but a bit too rich for me.