Platinum Wines

The Poetry Vineyard, carved into a steep west-facing hillside, reaches from the highest elevations of the Stags Leap District appellation to the valley floor. This vineyard draws its uniqueness from shallow, volcanic soils atop fractured shale. Due to the stressful nature of the site, planted with high vine density and farmed to very low yields, the vines develop slowly and produce small flavorful berries.  The vineyard was designed by David Abreu and planted to legendary, proprietary heritage selections of Cabernet Sauvignon.

In the cool darkness of night, grapes were hand-picked into twenty-five pound bins to minimize crushing. By early morning, the grapes were subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, which includes our cutting-edge optical sorter and a slow, individual berry hand sort. The fruit was gently gravity-delivered to small tanks by our unique crane system, which kept the berries intact. Cold soaks lasted from five to eight days, and fermentations were managed through a combination of pump overs and délestage. Extended maceration of up to six weeks ensured exceptional extraction and fine-tuning of tannin profiles. Following twenty-one months of élevage in French oak barrels, 80% of which were new, the blend was selected from our best lots of the Poetry Vineyard.

The result of meticulous attention to detail throughout the winemaking process, the fresh and lively 2019 Poetry’s effortless character belies the precision and masterly artistry required to assemble our multi-layered grand vin. This captivating elixir greets the taster with a bouquet of fresh cut flowers, crushed red currant, and summer Morello cherry aromas. Nestled amongst these scents are red and black licorice, clove, and bergamot. Next, there is a rush of melted dark chocolate, shortbread, blackberry, and plum flavors along the palate. Sea salt, aged beef, and loamy black truffle elements add layers of savoriness to the long and tantalizing finish. – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking

Songbook represents a collection of vineyard sources that we have been fortunate enough to access to create this beautiful wine. When Cliff Lede was new to Napa Valley in the early 2000s, he was introduced to some of the top growers and consultants in this small community, creating fast friendships and partnerships. We are grateful to work with many grower partners who, like us, take pride in farming to the highest level.

In the cool darkness of night, grapes were hand-picked into twenty-five pound bins to minimize crushing. By early morning, the grapes were subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, which includes our cutting-edge optical sorter and a slow, individual berry hand sort. The fruit was gently gravity-delivered to small tanks by our unique crane system which kept the berries intact. Cold soaks lasted from five to eight days, and fermentations were managed through a combination of pump overs and délestage. Extended maceration of up to six weeks ensured exceptional extraction and fine-tuning of tannin profiles. This wine underwent twenty-one months of élevage in French oak barrels, 91% of which were new.

The dark and beguiling 2019 Songbook features seductive notes of warm blackberries, cassis, and chocolate cake with touches of clove, sandalwood, anise, and exotic incense. The wine opens with flavors of mulberry, fig paste, and blueberry, with woodsy notes of cedar, bay laurel, and piñon. Deep and expansive across the palate, hints of mint, amaretto, and iron emerge and add layers to this complex and delicious red wine. – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking

Situated on the western Oakville bench, the celebrated Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has gravelly loam soils with high mineral content derived from sedimentary deposits of the volcanic Mayacamas Mountains and the alluvial fan of the Napa River. The vineyard has low organic matter content and thorough drainage, which devigorates the vines and produces small berries that are ideal for wines with intense concentration. The site is warm and sunny throughout the day, but cooled by late afternoon breezes, producing ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with lovely acidity. The blocks that make up our blend represent a diverse array of the Beckstoffer To Kalon terroir and clonal selection, creating a unique and extraordinary wine from this critically praised site.

In the cool darkness of night, grapes were hand-picked into twenty-five pound bins to minimize crushing. By early morning, the grapes were subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process which includes our cutting-edge optical sorter, and a slow, individual berry hand sort. The fruit was gently gravity-delivered to small tanks and wooden cuves by our unique crane system which kept the berries intact. Cold soaks lasted from five to eight days, and fermentations were managed through a combination of pump overs and délestage. Extended maceration of up to six weeks ensured exceptional extraction and fine-tuning of tannin profiles. This wine underwent twenty-one months of élevage in French oak barrels, 78% of which were new.

The deep dark ruby colored 2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon boasts a brooding perfume of sultry violets, wild blackberry, and black figs. Red currant, black cherry, and mulberry preserve flavors dominate the entry tinged with cool menthol and bay laurel notes. Hallmark accents of gravelly loam, graphite, and créme de cassis open along the fresh finish and linger long after tasting. This multilayered wine will continue to open and gain immense depth and length with proper cellaring. – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking