The Mascot
Non-vintage Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley AVA
Auction 28 | Lot No. 165
Vintage: Non-vintage
The Mascot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
5 cases produced
Highlights
- A first of its kind, multi-vintage blend of The Mascot — comprised of vintages 2021, 2022 and 2023
- Specially blended for Premiere Napa Valley 2024 by the Harlan family winegrowing team
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the young vines of Harlan Estate, BOND and Promontory
- The first and only multi-vintage blend offered from these distinct and storied properties
Description
The Mascot began as a wine, unnamed and unlabeled, initially created for the Harlan family to share at the table and with close friends. The components were of notable pedigree, originating from the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND and Promontory. The wine’s charm prompted Will Harlan to persuade his family and the winegrowing team to make it available to a broader audience of interested individuals. The hillsides of the “parent” properties lie in close proximity to the bedrock, where differences in minerology and organic networks reinforce the distinctive character of each site. Through farming practices developed over the last 15 to 20 years to emphasize vine-by-vine care, the Harlan family’s team endeavors to bring the new vines to a point at which they are both self-sustaining and expressive of “place.” As the earliest embodiments within the family domain of these evolving ideas, the wines of The Mascot represent the vanguard of the team’s ongoing understanding of the land. The layered nuances of three diverse growing seasons enhance the complexity already inherent in this special barrel’s sites of origin.
Wine Facts
- Wine is unfiltered
- Wine was dry farmed
- Sustainably produced
- Organically produced (also commonly called "organically grown")
Cory Empting
Winemaker, The Mascot
A native of Napa Valley, California, Cory Empting has known this land all his life. Working his first harvest at age 15 with esteemed winemaker Ric Forman, Cory discovered his passion and decided that winemaking would be his chosen path and profession.
Cory studied viticulture at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and spent his summers in Oakville, interning at both Harlan Estate and BOND. These experiences provided him the opportunity to work alongside Bob Levy, who further expanded Cory’s knowledge and deepened his resolve. Driven to further develop his winemaking skills and knowledge, Cory began traveling and worked in cellars in Spain, Argentina and Australia to name a few.
He joined the Harlan family team full-time in 2001. In addition to his responsibilities as Director of Winegrowing at Harlan Estate, BOND and Promontory, he assumed the winemaking role for Will Harlan’s first project with his family, The Mascot. Introduced in 2013, the wine is made from the younger vines of each of the aforementioned properties.
In 2021—his 20th anniversary with the organization—Cory was appointed to the position of Managing Director of Winegrowing for the Harlan family domain. Bob Levy, as always, supports Cory in this capacity while continuing as the Director of Winegrowing at The Napa Valley Reserve and assisting the family with several projects.
Country born: United States
Education: Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Winemaking Philosophy:
To capture in each vintage the seasonal expression and indelible character of the land.
Pilar Wine Brokers
325 Highway 51 Suite C
Ridgeland MS 39157
202-288-5749
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from Pilar Wine Brokers:
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darioush | 2022 | Red Table Wine | Mount Veeder | Sage Vineyard | 28 (2024) |
| Maroon Wines | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coombsville | 28 (2024) | |
| The Mascot | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 28 (2024) |
Winery Distribution
The Mascot is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.