From the man who brought you MacDonald...2019 Jasud

Last weekend I was in Napa for an old Napa wine tasting. Speaking of MacDonald Graeme was there along with many other winemakers.

On Sunday I spent the day with Ketan Mody. We toured his vineyard and witnessed first hand the damage caused by the fires.

It was truly sad however I just kept thinking how fortunate Ketan is to have not lost it all.

After touring the vineyards we went back to his place and he left a few bottles of his wine out on the table and said help yourself I need to go to the grocery store and with that he left Renee and me alone with the 2019 Jasud!!! The first wine that he has made from the vineyard he has been working on tirelessly for 10 years. I poured a glass for Renee and me and we just sat there in complete awe of the wine! It was an emotional experience having witnessed Ketan’s work on the mountain over many years. The section of the vineyard that produced these grapes was lost in the fires.

The wine was stunning! Dusty mountain cab like tannins. Deep rich mineral driven fruit. Powerful but elegant. Under 13% alcohol. A soulful emotional wine just like the person who made it.

Side note: I think XR-1 rootstock is what ruined Napa wines. Ketan has used St. George and you see it in the wine.

TRUST ME get on his mailing list! He is not going to release the 19 because he made so little of it and it is sentimental to him because the vines are gone. It will probably be a few years before he releases a Jasud but once he does the mailing list will have a 10 year wait!

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Oh wow, that is too bad; I got married in 2019 and would consider buying Napa from that vintage if the wine is on this level quality.

AXR was the rootstock developed by UC Davis.amd yes, it was supposed to be phylloxera-resistant but turned it was not true. Vines grafted onto this had to be replanted in the late 80s and early 90s.

St. George rootstock, which is not vitis vintners IIRC, has been shown to be phylloxera-resistant for a very very long time and has been used in CA for decades and decades. I remember it being ‘deficient’ in certain qualities (can’t remember exactly what right now).

I do not believe there is any AXR-1 still in use . . .

I have exactly 2 vines left on AXR-1…just for sentimental reasons.

All other vines are on 110R, with one other block on St. George. The 2 rootstocks produce very different fruit.

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Very cool - and how would you characterize the differences?

The St. George’s natural fruit set is with plenty of shatter - berries placed far apart, as opposed to the 110R, which generally produces tighter bunches. St. George color tends to darker blue to purple;110R tends to medium blue. The flavors are just different - only a taste test could describe it. People who visit know it when they taste it.

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Thank you for confirming what I had thought. It does taste different.