Palate
The 2014 Meteor Perseid opens with black cherry, ripe plum, a hit of blackberry and warm fig notes. Baking spices- clove and cinnamon work in concert with smokey cedar and sandalwood to add to the warm fruit characteristics. Barely perceptible earthy notes, reminiscent of juniper and fresh forest floor give weight. Tannins are precocious for a wine so young and are already silky and round- reflecting the 2014 vintage. Elegantly balanced and focused.
Growing Conditions
Well-drained soils impart depth and minerality to a wine. During the critical maturation period warm, even temperatures allow for leisurely ripening that softens tannins and produces lush, bright fruit. Both of those aspects of a great site are amply evident at Meteor Vineyard.
The vineyard possesses another, celestial quality that is uniquely Meteor, something we recognize every time we ferment grapes. It shows up in the wine’s dense but clear violet-edged color, and a trademark Meteor aroma of red cherries and blackberries.
The three clones planted on the vineyard make our 100% Meteor Vineyard Cabernet more complex to create, challenging us to find that precise balance between the three vineyard expressions. Then there is always a discovery: in this, our debut year, it’s one of the clones, fermented in barrels from a particular cooper, that made us want to bottle a few cases of something special just for us and a few lucky others.
2014 marked the third consecutive year of drought in Napa Valley. The bulk of the below average rainfall came in February and March, providing adequate soil moisture for the initial push of vine growth in the spring. The bloomtime weather was quite favorable, producing a potentially large crop. This was followed by a very warm growing season, with several fairly severe heat spikes, which Meteor weathered quite well. Great care was taken to open up the canopies to allow good airflow and light penetration, while still protecting the fruit during the extreme heat events. Careful monitoring of the vineyard’s water status led to judicious irrigations in an effort to maintain proper vine balance during the entire season. Crop thinning was performed several times during the season, as is typical at Meteor, but the overall health of the vines still produced an above average sized crop. We were spared any negative impacts of the August 24th earthquake, and harvest took place at night, between September 17th and 22nd. Because of the early start to the season, the fruit had ample time to develop fully, even though harvest came earlier than is typical. The fruit was beautifully mature and well balanced at the time of harvest.
Winemaking
We believe that in the perfect viticultural situations - when the right grapes are planted in the right place - that the best wine that can be made is the one that allows the vineyard to speak clearly and forcefully. The winemaking will therefore be simple and non- interventional, like cooking with the finest fresh ingredients and just allowing the ingredients to shine.
