Nose
A beautiful parfum of pineapple,
white flowers, lemon pith and tangerine liven your senses and entices an immediate sip.
Palate
The palate is smooth and elegant typical of the Bell style. Ruby grapefruit, lime and basil
surprises on the palate with a lengthy finish.
Growing Conditions
2016 began with most wineries very concerned about the effects of the four years of drought on their vineyards.
Napa has not had its “usual” amount of rainfall since 2012. Thankfully, over 16 combined inches of rain in January
and March eased those worries and the growing season began with bud break only 5-10 days “early”. With a full
soil moisture profile provided by continuing light rains in early spring and no major heat events, fairly even shoot
growth was seen throughout the valley across most varietals. No significant frost damage occurred, boosting
everyone’s hopes for a normal crop load after the dismal harvest size of 2015. Harvest began early, but not as early
as 2015, and wasn’t as compressed or rushed as the previous year. Three significant harvest heat spikes brought
temperatures briefly into the high 90s before dropping back to the normal and below normal range creating a
[rollercoaster, schizophrenic, nonsensical, tumultuous] ripening pattern. Determining optimal maturity became
challenging as with each heat spike the fruit could [deceitfully] appear ripe without reaching optimal maturity.
Tannins seemed supple and well-integrated very early on, and small clusters were filled with small berries, which
promise intense color and flavors.
Aging
62% barrel fermented for 1 month in 25% new French oak
Food Pairing
Perfect for an aperitif or summer salads.
