Snowden - Dum Spiro Spero 2020
Price: $84.96
| Producer | Snowden |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Napa Valley |
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Sku | 601682 |
| Size | 750ml |
In Napa, 2020 began with great promise. Ideal conditions led to small clusters of grapes with tiny, uniform berries—a phenomenon known as millerandage in French, which signals high quality when uniformity is achieved. Unfortunately, the vintage’s potential was upended by the LNU Lightning Complex fires in August and the Glass Fire in September. These fires caused widespread devastation, destroying more than two dozen wineries and leaving many others grappling with smoke taint. Some estimates suggest only 20% of the potential harvest was realized, with many wineries abandoning their fruit altogether.
Snowden was among the fortunate few able to salvage a harvest. Through meticulous consultation with colleagues, academics, and laboratories, they identified three plots free from smoke taint: “Brothers,” “Los Ricos,” and “Melchior Kemper.” Normally bottled as single-vineyard wines, these plots were instead blended to create Snowden’s sole 2020 offering—a testament to resilience and thoughtful craftsmanship.
