Pride Mountain Vineyards isn’t one of those places you come across by accident. You sorta have to want to go there and making the trek up Spring Mountain Road isn’t for the faint hearted or those with bad brakes. You know you’ve reached it when you come across the white-painted stripe across the road- the line separating Napa from Sonoma counties. I remember the original Pride Mountain building, before they built their beautiful new winery, had a basketball court in their driveway for the employees, and then-winemaker Bob Foley told me one hoop was in Napa County and the other Sonoma. Back in those days I used to visit a lot because Bob was, not only a graduate of good ol’ San Ramon Valley High, but also (briefly, thank goodness) my wife’s high school boyfriend and a close friend with her brother Mike. Foley, who made his reputation at Markham Vineyards after starting his career lugging hoses around for Joe Heitz before joining Pride, created a style of wine that emphasized fruit and polish while not sacrificing the structure and strong personality for which the wines of Spring Mountain were known. They quickly caught on and, in no time, the Pride family had the unenviable task of having to allocate their wines rather than just sell them. Bob left Pride Mountain in great shape from a winemaking standpoint and in the able hands of protégés Matt Ward and Romel Rivera. They’ve never missed a beat! The Merlot is still one of the best in its class and the Estate Cabernet with its bi-county designation is one of the best examples of mountain Cabernet you’ll ever see. Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon comes just over half from Sonoma County side of the property and the rest form Napa. It emphasizes panache and polish over weight and bombast. You’ll love its sweet briary blackberry-scented fruit and black silk palate but underneath you’ll find a dense core of the mountain intensity and tannins for which Pride Cab is justly famous. What a great drinker tonight, though, with a full-flavored steak, a slow-cooked pot roast or maybe that beef tenderloin you’ve been saving for the holidays! Really an elegant, very stylish achievement from a gorgeous vintage up on Spring Mountain!