Aromas of dark plum, cassis, and black cherry integrate with sophisticated notes of graphite, espresso, and dried violets. The palate is full-bodied and seamless, featuring a dense core of blue and black fruit supported by ultra-fine, gravelly tannins. A lift of fresh acidity ensures the wine remains balanced, leading into a long finish marked by hints of cocoa and crushed stone.
The winemaking team, which includes renowned consultant Philippe Melka, utilizes meticulous berry-by-berry sorting to ensure only the highest quality fruit enters the fermentation vats. In the cellar, the wine undergoes fermentation in a combination of French oak puncheons and stainless steel tanks. It matures for 20 months in French oak barrels, approximately 75% of which are new, to provide a polished structural framework that complements the intense fruit concentration without masking the site's identity.
The fruit is sourced from several elite, high-elevation vineyards across Napa Valley, including the estate's home site in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains and prime parcels in the Oakville and Rutherford benches. These sites are defined by their well-drained volcanic soils and varied topography. The combination of valley floor power and mountain-grown structure allows the wine to express a comprehensive profile of the Napa Valley terroir, characterized by both richness and mineral tension.
