Nose
The nose is dominated by an intense huckleberry or ripe cranberry aroma.
Palate
Underneath, flavors of fresh oregano and vanilla bean add complexity and make it an ideal food wine
Growing Conditions
Like vintage 2012, vintage 2013 it was ‘perfect’ by nearly all grape-growing standards in that yields were slightly above average, the weather was evenly warm, and fruit moved toward ideal ripeness without the fits and starts of the preceding two vintages. This produced wines with tremendous fruit flavors and textural depth. If you’re wondering if we in the Napa Valley ever tire of ‘perfect’ vintages, the answer is “not at all”. We prize our estate Malbec for its ability to come to full flavor maturity on the vine without the high sugars (and subsequent high alcohols) often associated with mountain-top reds in the Napa Valley. It’s all about exotic aromas and freshness in the mouth. Because of the slow ripening, the few blocks of Malbec on the property are rarely picked in their entirety but rather row by row. As a result, the small batches are often co-fermented with small amounts of other varieties that happen to be perfectly ripe at the same time.
The 2013 is a gorgeously fragrant wine. Though a touch riper than in years past, it still displays the freshness that we prize in the variety.
