From ungrafted Carignano vines trained in the ancient bush format, and grown on sandy soils, this stand-out red is full-bodied and well structured. Rich, dark fruit character and robust tannins are matched with notes of underbrush and spiced cedar. The intensity of the red fruit reaches a crescendo mid-palate, its acidity sharp and mouthfeel sleek and lithe. Finishes with red plum steeped in lavender tea.
A pinch of tobacco leaf, rhubarb, and sweet earth are some of the focused notes that demonstrate this wine’s complexity. Vibrant cherry and cardamom are an intriguing combination that leads to red pepper and clove. Juicy, with supple tannins, finishing with spiced rose petals.
Scintillating notes of sea-salted lemon bar, cashew, and a sleek mineral component. Zesty and crisp with an echo of Mediterranean scrub.
Intense, pleasant aromas of dark chocolate wafers mingle with earth tones. Ripe blackberry, bramble, and white pepper wash over the palate for a lingering finish.
Deep, well extracted, dense core, with pronounced blackberry, cassis, and dried herb notes,. Wonderful aromatic intensity, broad and expansive; ripe, full, and weighty on the palate, with nicely balanced ample, well integrated oak notes. 5% Petit Verdot provides added structure and a broadened range of depth and complexity; 40% aged in new French oak. The fruit is sourced from just east of Atlas Peak.The lifted elevation of the vineyard provides a wide diurnal temperature swing that helps retain acidity, along with creating a more nuanced wine.
Accompanied by small percentages of the four other Bordeaux varieties, this Pritchard-Hill-born Cab Franc shows verve and sensual textures of graphite, violets, and fresh herbs. An underlying chalkiness denotes plum skin and dusty cocoa. Sweet soil and rich dark chocolate create a path to a well-defined crushed velvet blueberry finish.
The rarity of mountain-grown Chenin Blanc in Napa Valley – and on prestigious Pritchard Hill, no less — gives voice to this honored white and its Molly Chappellet signature offers even more cachet. Fermented in a combination of neutral French oak and stainless steel, it speaks of peach blossom rising out of wet stone. This wondrous white evolves in texture and style: lanolin on linen, lychee on lentil, charming on a lithe frame.
This producer has never bent to the winds of fashion in the styling of this wine, holding firm with much deeper color and flavor than one finds in the rosé wines from nearby Provence. If tasted truly “blind” in a black glass, one might well mistake this for a light red wine. No mere forgettable poolside wine, it will excel at a dinner table with many preparations of fish, poultry, or white meats.