{"title":"MacDonald Vineyards","description":"\u003cp\u003eMacDonald Vineyards is one of Napa Valley’s most sought-after small-production Cabernet Sauvignon producers, with a family history deeply rooted in the historic To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. Brothers Alex and Graeme MacDonald are fourth-generation Napa Valley grape growers, farming approximately 15 acres at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains on one of the rockiest sections of this legendary vineyard. Their MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon offers a rare expression of old-vine Oakville Cabernet from a site their family has farmed for generations.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTo Kalon Vineyard \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe MacDonald family’s history in To Kalon Vineyard dates to 1954, when their great-grandparents planted the property’s first vines since Prohibition. For the next 60 years, the family sold its Cabernet Sauvignon exclusively to Robert Mondavi through a handshake agreement. According to MacDonald Vineyards, this fruit became a core component of Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and early Opus One bottlings, establishing the vineyard’s quality decades before MacDonald wine was released under its own label.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe family’s parcel sits on the gravelly Oakville bench at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains. Deep, well-drained alluvial gravels help define this part of To Kalon Vineyard, while some of the family’s Cabernet Sauvignon vines are now approximately 70 years old. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOakville Cabernet Sauvignon \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, the MacDonald family continues to farm the vineyard themselves using organic methods and a philosophy centered on preserving the character and longevity of the site. Native yeasts and traditional cellar techniques are used to produce an Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon that emphasizes the purity, structure, and energy of its historic vineyard source. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe old vines and exceptionally gravelly soils contribute to the distinctive personality of MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon, with the wines commonly showing concentrated dark fruit, graphite, mineral character, freshness, and substantial aging potential. Rather than creating an extensive portfolio, MacDonald remains focused on Cabernet Sauvignon from its family property in Oakville. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex and Graeme MacDonald began producing tiny quantities of wine from the family vineyard before releasing the first commercial MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon with the 2010 vintage. Just 92 cases were produced that year, and production has remained extremely limited as the brothers continue to prioritize hands-on farming and winemaking. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is one of the more distinctive expressions of To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon: a wine produced not from purchased fruit, but by a fourth-generation farming family from its own historic parcel. MacDonald’s combination of old vines, small production, and deep ties to To Kalon has made the wines highly sought after among collectors of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAdd MacDonald Wine to Your Cellar \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its historic roots in To Kalon Vineyard, decades-long relationship with Robert Mondavi, old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon, and extremely limited production, MacDonald wine represents a unique piece of Napa Valley history. Browse our collection of MacDonald Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and discover multiple vintages from one of Oakville’s most historic Cabernet sites. \u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"macdonald-vinyards-to-kalon-cabernet-2016-750ml","title":"2016 Macdonald, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Bottle (750ml)","description":"JD100 ~ The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is largely cut from the same cloth yet has just a touch more purity and elegance without sacrificing depth or richness. Just a magical wine any way you look at it, this deep purple-colored beauty reveals a heavenly bouquet of creme de cassis, camphor, purple iris, and violets. It's full-bodied and massive, yet still just dances across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. While it's already hard to resist today (and don't feel bad for drinking a bottle), it has the purity, balance, and structure to keep for 3-4 decades. Hats off to the brothers Alex and Graeme MacDonald for this legendary wine. JD Jan 2019\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nRP98 ~ End of September 2019, The Wine Advocate - \"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a relatively gravelly site compared to other parts of the To Kalon vineyard. Most of the fruit comes from vines aged 45 to 65 years old, with a little fruit coming from the younger section of 20-year-old vines. It was made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and no press wines were used, in order to maintain tannin quality. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherries, warm cassis, blueberry compote and chocolate box notes with touches of aged meat, yeast extract, chargrill and sauteed herbs with hints of pain grille and pencil lead. Full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in poise, with beautifully balanced, crushed black fruits and firm, very finely grained tannins plus a lovely backbone of seamless freshness, finishing epically long and savory with a slight mineral kick to the finish.\" LPB Sept 2019\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\"To-Kalon - Our story begins with the history of our property, whose first wines were named To-Kalon, meaning “the most beautiful.” In the pioneer days of Napa Valley, the famed To-Kalon wines, made from grapes sourced in part from our property, are thought to have garnered more awards than any other winery in the pre-Prohibition era.\"","brand":"MacDonald Vineyards","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":38126968111287,"sku":"USR:MAC:KALO-0750-2016-F0L0C0","price":1095.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USRMACKALO-0750-2016-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1790718215"},{"product_id":"macdonald-vinyards-to-kalon-cabernet-2017-750ml","title":"2017 Macdonald, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Bottle (750ml)","description":"JD96+ \"The soils in this part of To Kolan are rockier, and with the old vines, everything was harvested well in advance of the devastating fires in 2017. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon offers a more Bordeaux-like austerity that’s common in the vintage as well as beautiful notes of pure crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and lead pencil. Deep purple-hued, full-bodied, rich, and balanced, it has a terrific blend of power and elegance. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.\" JD Jan 2020\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWS96 \"Intense cassis and steeped cherry flavors form the core, while singed tobacco, warm loam and savory notes swirl around. In a youthful state now, wrestling with itself as warm gravel, roasted juniper and dark olive elements vie for attention. Cellaring will let this unwind fully. Leans toward the old-school side of the stylistic spectrum. Best from 2022 through 2038. 392 cases made.\" JM for WS Nov 2020\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\"To-Kalon - Our story begins with the history of our property, whose first wines were named To-Kalon, meaning “the most beautiful.” In the pioneer days of Napa Valley, the famed To-Kalon wines, made from grapes sourced in part from our property, are thought to have garnered more awards than any other winery in the pre-Prohibition era.\"","brand":"MacDonald Vineyards","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":38127041609911,"sku":"USR:MAC:KALO-0750-2017-F0L0C0","price":649.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USRMACKALO-0750-2017-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1790718247"},{"product_id":"2022-macdonald-cabernet-sauvignon-oakville-case-of-3-btls","title":"2022 Macdonald, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Case of 3 Btls","description":"JD96+ \"The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly one of the successes in the vintage. With a deep purple hue as well as gorgeous aromatics of ripe blackcurrants, darker chocolate, roasted herbs, and graphite, it hits the palate with a medium to full-bodied texture, a round, layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's a classic, ripe, textured, stunningly balanced 2022 that will drink beautifully over two decades. (Drink between 2025-2045)\" Jeb Dunnuck, Jan 2025","brand":"MacDonald Vineyards","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67590154518765,"sku":"USR:MAC:KALO-PK03-2022-F0L0C0","price":1950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}]}],"url":"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/macdonald-vineyards.oembed","provider":"Grand Cru Liquid Assets","version":"1.0","type":"link"}