2022 Chimney Rock 'Elevage' Red

Aromas of black plum, cassis, dark chocolate, dried violet, and sweet tobacco leaf lead into a dense, full-bodied palate. Flavors of blackberry compote, cocoa nib, espresso, and graphite mesh with integrated French oak spice and crushed-rock minerality. The texture is broad and supple, supported by firm, velvety tannins and balanced natural acidity through a long, polished, savory finish.

Optically sorted hand-harvested fruit for this Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux-style blend ferments in small stainless steel tanks. Following extended post-fermentation maceration, the wine ages for 18 months in French oak barrels (60 percent new) to build integration and structure before assembly and bottling.

Grapes are sourced entirely from estate vineyard blocks within the Stags Leap District. Rooted in alluvial fans and gravelly volcanic soils at the base of the Stags Leap Palisades, the vines absorb radiant afternoon heat off the rock faces. Cool night air from San Pablo Bay creates high diurnal shifts, preserving acidity while developing deep phenolic ripeness.