2018 Fortunate Son, The Diplomat, Napa Valley, Bottle (750ml)

RP96 "Jayson Woodbridge calls this a “21st Century Claret.” The blend is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with a good dollop of Merlot and a dash of Petite Sirah. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon The Diplomat comes skipping out with bright notes of Morello cherries, mulberries, and black raspberries, over a profound core of warm cassis, hoisin and blackberry pie, with wafts of licorice and unsmoked cigars. The generous, full-bodied palate is soft and plush, featuring a powerful black fruit core with a lively backbone and loads of layers on the earthy finish." LPB for TWA Dec 2021

"Jayson Woodbridge from Hundred Acre has recently revived this Fortunate Son label that he started a few years ago. “Some of the fruit for this label comes from Hundred Acre vineyards,” said Woodbridge. “Additionally, I’ve negotiated to farm and take per-acre fruit from selected family vineyards in Napa Valley.” More recently, he and his wife, Helen, purchased the historic David Fulton ranch/winery and vineyard, located on Fulton Lane in St. Helena, partly to restore the winery and establish a dedicated winery for The Fortunate Son.
Woodbridge is fiercely protective of his fruit sourcing, refusing to say, except in the most general terms, where the fruit originates for his Fortunate Sons bottlings. He'll approach family-owned vineyards and pay by the acre (wants low yields), bringing in Jim Barbour to do the farming, with the biggest caveat being that growers can't say to whom they're selling." Published: Dec 16, 2021