Nose
Berry pie aromas are touched with hints of licorice, cola and mint. Toasty oak and vanilla
from the barrel draw you in for a treasured sip.
Palate
Tarry and dense from the start, the milk chocolate flavors do little to hide the chewy tannins and bright acidity that runs through the heart of this little, big wine.
Growing Conditions
Set in a canyon surrounded by wild Bay Laurel trees, the rocky soils provide near perfect growing conditions for our for Calistoga estate grown Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Although originally planted as a blending varietal in the 80s, Petit Verdot has come on strong as a staff favorite. The clusters in the vineyard are small, true to their namesake, as is the berry size. Thus the vineyard always has produced dark, concentrated wines to enhance our blends. The 2012 vintage allowed us to ferment the two clonal selections individually. The Mondavi clone provides the violet aromatics and bright acidity common to the varietal. The clone 400 is more balanced and lush, but requires patience to allow the grapes to fully mature. Reward is seen in dense concentration of fruit flavors
and deep inky colors.
Petit Verdot is primarily known as a blending varietal where it brings power and color to its more graceful cousin, Cabernet. Ours can often be a bit ‘bull in the china shop’ in its youth and this 2012 vintage is true to form.
Harvest
The 2012 vintage in Napa Valley was about as close to ‘normal’ as it gets! Average rainfall ended with a nearly ideal budbreak, flowering and fruit set. The frost season was mild and while the harvest was a bit slow to start, it was beautifully abundant in comparison to the previous vintage. Our Cabernet harvest began in early October and continued at a leisurely pace the entire month. Lush texture became the hallmark of wines produce during the vintage. Being followed around by a documentary film crew (for the TV series Vintage 2012: Napa Valley) even allowed us to relive the vintage fondly and not blur into posterity.
Winemaking
26 Days Long Skin Contact 100% Stainless Steel Fermentation
Aging
24 Months Barrel Aged 80% New French Oak
Food Pairing
The black peppercorns on steak au poivre should provide a delicious complementary
match.
