This storied Calistoga estate in the shadow of Mount St. Helena effectively put California winemaking on the map. Well-respected for their efforts to create wines of balance and restraint, the house style focuses on mating beautiful, dry-farmed fruit with very fine grain french oak that elevates and frames the fruit without overpowering it. We purchased the main component from their $60+/bottle program and then added about 10% from various small, very high-end barrel lots we hold onto for blending purposes. The resulting blend maintains the pretty fruit character while elevating the complexity.
Wonderfully uplifted and pure nose of pretty raspberry and black cherry is framed by an amalgam of red clay and dark earth kissed with cocoa dust and pink blossom. Smooth and glycerine-like on entry with juicy, nervy, energetic fruit that continues to build on the palate in a seemingly never-ending finish of red fruit and mineral. Deeeelicious.
30% new French Oak
13.7% alc.
200 cases available.
Bottled October 5th, 2020
