Nose
Powerful and alluring, this wine boasts an abundant
bouquet of ripe black plum, fresh blueberry and cassis fruit swirled amongst hints of
black olive, sage and dried violet.
Palate
The lush, velvety palate enters with bold, ripe black
cherry, red raspberry and plum fruit supported by plush tannins and notes of vanilla
bean, sweet cream and dark cocoa. The wine is deep and intense from start to end,
with lingering minerality and subtle dried tobacco leaf on the unwavering finish.
Growing Conditions
With consistently mild temperatures throughout
spring and summer, 2012 was a stellar vintage in Napa Valley, allowing slow, even
ripening and yielding exquisite, balanced fruit.
Harvest
The fruit for this wine was harvested at
an optimal level of ripeness in early October. The berries were hand-harvested at night,
carefully sorted and destemmed to tank, where fermentation took place.
Aging
The wine
was racked to 60% new French oak barrels, where it was aged for 18 months prior to
bottling.
Appearance
A ruby-black wine.
Food Pairing
This exuberant, full-bodied bottling would be best matched with a simple,
yet ample meal, such as a braised beef short ribs with polenta and seasonal vegetables.
Additionally, this wine served alongside Mimolette, an aged, nutty cheese, would make
a delicious and memorable cheese course.