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.

Our Grand Vin was sculpted in a vintage where only the smallest of clusters and berries were produced by the hillside vines.  That chiseled concentration is reflected in its tightly wound character.  Youthful and primary, the nose on the fledgling 2015 Poetry is all crushed rock and cool slate.  There are pretty violets among the mineral aromas with black currant, lavender, and spice box notes unfurling out along the bouquet.  The summer blackberry and licorice flavors pour over the palate in a well delineated fashion and persist long after each taste.  This wine tastes like it will last forever.

-Christopher Tynan, Winemaker

Songbook is sourced from two of acclaimed viticulturist David Abreu’s personally-farmed properties: Thorevilos Vineyard, situated between the St. Helena and Howell Mountain AVAs, and Madrona Ranch, nestled in the foothills of the Mayacamas mountain range. These vineyards produce grapes of exceptional character resulting from proprietary clones, extremely low yields, and meticulous farming. The result is a winemaker’s dream.

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 100% new French oak barrels.

The exotic and alluring 2015 Songbook is poised to become our best ever.  A study in balanced freshness and precise, focused flavors, this buoyant elixir is perfumed with blueberry, blackberry, and a gravelly pine forest floor.  There is lots of savory umami essence with nori wrapper, white truffle, and shiitake dusted grilled ribeye jus echoing in the aromas and flavors.  On the finish, cocoa powder, new tobacco, and sage leaf aromatics waft in the retro nasal cavities while layers of unctuous black licorice, wild raspberries, white chocolate, and sea salt caramel notes linger on the long finish.

-Christopher Tynan, Winemaker

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, 83% of which were new.

The well drained, gravelly loam soils of western Oakville that are the source for our To Kalon Vineyard give this Cabernet’s signature aromas of violets, gravel, and dark cassis. The 2016 vintage is brimming with gobs of warm currants, dark chocolate cake, lavender, and an earthy minerality, that arise and coalesce in the glass. Flavors of clove and cinnamon-spiced blackberry preserves spring forth along the sultry palate. The vintage’s fresh acidity carries the unctuous flavors along enthusiastically, and the ultrafine, sensuous tannin are impossible to resist.