We were coming up to the end of the tasting of Korbin Kameron wines at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  The winery was planted in 2000, and estate straddles the ridge of Mount Veeder, with part of the estate in Napa County, but the majority being on the Sonoma County side.  The vineyard is on 186-acre property on Mount Veeder in Sonoma County.  The winery is growing the classic grapes of Bordeaux with very great success.  The area is famed for having a very long growing season, so the grapes can fully mature and become fully balanced.  In 2013 Moon Mountain AVA was created and recognized for being the longest growing season for the Sonoma Valley, and also for its rich volcanic soil, with perfect drainage to make the roots of the vine struggle and to grow deep.  The Moon Valley AVA is so relatively new that it has not been seen that often and some wineries may not take advantage of it, until it becomes more widely known.

We had been tasting wines from their estate vineyard on Moon Mountain District which is on the Sonoma County side; the western slopes of the Mayacamas mountains between the Sugarloaf Ridge and Carneros.   We started off with Korbin Kameron Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Napa 2019; and Mount Veeder is located on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas mountains.  This wine was aged for eighteen months in French Oak, of which seventy-five percent was new, and they produced fifty cases.  A deep, dark garnet-colored wine that offered notes of black fruit, cassis, cedar and sous-bois.  On the palate this was also a big chewy wine offering tones of blackberries, black cherries, currants, vanilla, oak and black pepper blending with big tannins, great acidity and a long count of concentrated fruit and terroir. 

We then followed up with the Korbin Kameron Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder 2021.  I have to apologize as I am not a great photographer and the label is printed on the bottle, so the clarity is not that good, but I try, or maybe it is me after tasting the first twelve wines.  The wine was aged for eighteen months in French Oak, of which seventy-five percent was new, and with a production of fifty cases, or two barrels.  A deep, dark garnet-red colored wine that offered notes of black cherry, blackberry, cassis, cedar and sous-bois.  On the palate this full-bodied and perfectly balanced wine was more Medoc, than California.  It was chewy, not jammy, and displayed tones of black cherries, blackberries, currants, oak, vanilla and black pepper with big tannins and a long count of dark fruit and terroir.  This wine will require some cellar time to fully appreciate this wine after the tannins have tamed.

Even though the tasting was over, you may have noticed that one of our favorite varietals did not make an appearance, but The Fine Wine Source had only three bottles left and only for sale; my Bride insisted that they should collect dust in our cellar, so I will conclude with my prior notes, and I did have Korbin sign the bottle.  We rescued the remaining bottles of Korbin Kameron Cabernet Franc Estate Grown Moon Mountain District 2021 from Moonridge Vineyards.  The Moonridge Vineyards is above the fog line at over eighteen hundred feet in elevation which allows this varietal to enjoy optimal ripening.  The evening also allows cool breezes preserving crucial acidity and the fine nuances that this grape is appreciated for. This wine was aged for twenty-two months in French Oak, of which sixty percent was new.   There were twenty-eight cases produced.   This deep garnet colored wine offered notes of black fruits with traces of green bell pepper, cigar, leather, sous-bois and minerals.  On the palate, this was a nice, elegant wine with tones of black fruit and licorice blended nicely with the silky tannins, well balanced and ended with a nice medium count finish of fruit and terroir.