Harvest
The 2017 growing season began with abundant winter rains, followed by a warm, dry spring that led to a perfectly timed budbreak. In addition to replenishing the water table, the early season rains produced robust canopies, which provided invaluable shade during a week-long heat event that kicked harvest into gear during the last week of August. This was followed by a much-needed cooldown that allowed the vines to recuperate, while also giving us extra hangtime for flavor development and tannin resolution. We harvested throughout September and into early October, with the grapes showing lovely ripeness and quality, yielding plush, polished and wonderfully complex wines.
Winemaking
In recent years, the cool, mountain slopes of Atlas Peak have gained acclaim for yielding some of Napa Valley’s most beautifully complex and structured Bordeauxvarietal wines. With its head-turning aromas, robust mountain structure and alluring layers of lush fruit, this wine shows why. On the palate, flavors of brambly blackberry and cherry mingle with more savory elements and French oak-inspired hints of vanilla and spice, with bright underlying acidity and rustic tannins promising a long life in the cellar.