Palate
The tiny 2011yield from this Pritchard Hill site is a blessing, as a small set
that occurs naturally produces a different result than multiple thinning passes
through the vineyard. This difference is evident in the concentration of our wine.
An anomaly of the wet 2011vintage, MelansonVineyard Cabernet
Sauvignon once again testifies to the advantages of this site above the valley fog.
Prolonged development on the vine shows beautifully in the glass, with flavors
of black fruit, crushed rock, and exotic white flower aromatics. One of only a
handful of Napa Valley wines recognizable by smell alone, the unique texture
and mid-palate of the Melanson consistently delights.
Growing Conditions
Despite a growing season beset with challenges across the Napa Valley, this
second vintage from our Pritchard Hill vineyard will likely prove even finer than
the first. The 2011 growing season was uncharacteristically wet, with late rains in
June eliminating a good deal of fruit. In the Melanson Vineyard, this meant that
the naturally small set required minimal thinning. While summer fog persisted
on the valley floor, our hillside blocks enjoyed full sun. An early fall rain for the
third consecutive vintage had zero impact on this high elevation site. The canopy
dried out quickly and the fruit hung through late October, taking full advantage
of the best ripening conditions in the region.
Bottling
The
wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered on June 6, 2013.
Winemaking
Clones 7 and 337 were picked and fermented separately. Grapes were hand sorted
with extra attention to the health of the berries, given the wetness of the season.
Clusters were destemmed without the addition of sulphur and cold soaked for
seven days. Only natural yeasts attended each small lot, with no inoculation
for alcoholic or malolactic fermentation. The wine was pressed off the skins after
a relatively short maceration, owing to the concentration of tannins in the thick
skin of this hillside fruit.
Aging
Aging: 20 months in 100% French
oak (75% new barrels)
Barrel Coopers: Darnajou, Ermitage
and Taransaud
