Back in 2003, a pair of wines I experienced for the first time ended up making it into my Top 25 list of the year. They didn’t arrive with a lot of fanfare, just impressing me with their quality and value. The wines which both scored 95 points, 2002 Sauvignon Blanc, and 2001 Paramount Red Wine, came from Origin, a partnership of childhood friends, Bill Davies, whose family has owned Schramsberg since 1965, and Tom Gamble, who can track his family’s viticulture in Napa back to 1916. I continued following the brand when they changed their name to Source Napa. Bill Davies is no longer involved in the project.  

I visited recently with Tom Gamble at his vineyards in Oakville and Yountville to taste the new wines where he showed me vistas I had never experienced from the seat of a pickup truck. Quality is excellent across the board.

For spring time enjoyment, I highly recommend beginning with the current examples of the wines I first wrote about six years ago…

2007 Source Napa Sauvignon Blanc Gamble Vineyard, Yountville; DW 93

13.9% alcohol, 1650 cases produced

Aromas: rich aromatic nose showing cassis, grapefruit, honey, licorice, mineral and slate

Palate: nicely formed structure with a bit of mineral and warm apricot on the mid palate

Impression: a very friendly wine with smooth melon notes and peach-skin acidity

2005 Source Napa Paramount Red Wine, Napa Valley; DW 92

14.5% alcohol, 500 cases produced, a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot

Aromas: chocolate, herb and graphite

Palate: well integrated fruit and acidity create a smooth impression with excellent texture

Impression: solid structure with a nice backbone of chocolate, herb and currant

2005 Source Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Family Home, Oakville; DW 91+

14.1% alcohol, 440 cases produced

Aromas: black cherry, toasty oak, chocolate mole, graphite and mint

Palate: rich, round, complex and intensely layered revealing olive, fig and cedar

Impression: ripe, smooth and creamy across the board full of very pleasurable black fruits

 To order any of these wines please visit customerservice@sourcenapa.com

The following wine was tasted but not reviewed:

2005 Source Napa Syrah Old Vine, St. Helena