Wines

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, 85% of which were new.

The 2017 To Kalon leads with an inviting aromatic display of violets, black forest cake, warm cherries, cardamom, and clove. There’s bottomless depth of red and black licorice, cassis, wild blackberry, and blueberries all tinged with a hint of cedar, tarragon, and thyme. Weaved amongst the fruitier flavors are a bevy of terroir driven elements like sweet loam, river gravel, and iron. The natural acidity is so fresh and lively that it guides the long luxurious finish where savory porcini mushroom, shoyu, and black tea notes linger.

Our Sauvignon Blanc is a lively, yet elegant, expression of this varietal in Napa Valley. The primary vineyard source, located in eastern Rutherford, is home to old vines planted to a heritage Musqué clone and Sémillon, providing density, richness, and citrus notes. Two other old-vine vineyards, both in Calistoga, contribute to the blend, one planted to Sauvignon Blanc and the other to Sémillon. In addition, we include grapes from a cooler climate vineyard on the east side of Napa, imparting vibrant acidity and finesse to the wine. A vineyard in Chiles Valley, a small pocket in eastern Napa County, adds complexity with old vines of Sauvignon Vert planted in 1947. This year marks the second harvest of our fabulous young vines from our property in Calistoga. The estate grown Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Musqué add sumptuous floral notes and mouthwatering acidity to the blend.

The fruit was hand-harvested in the cool darkness of night and arrived at the winery at dawn. The grapes were then held in controlled conditions of low oxygen and cold temperatures. Our fruit underwent gentle, whole-cluster pressing which releases the delicate, prized juices from the clusters and creates a deeper level of complexity. The juice was fermented in 67% French oak barrels, 29% stainless steel tanks, and 4% concrete eggs. All fermentations were conducted at cold temperatures to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Upon reaching dryness, the wine was aged on its lees and underwent daily or weekly battonage.

Born in the glorious 2018 vintage, this year’s Sauvignon Blanc is a revelrous elixir that flourishes a multitudinous array of citrus tinged aromas and flavors. The exceedingly seductive perfume of orange blossom, pink fleshed grapefruit, and warm lemon soufflé entices, whilst restorative verdant notes ascend out of the glass and meld with hints of lemon verbena, tarragon, and ginger. The entrance boasts a brace of lemon candy across the palate followed by an unraveling of lemon meringue, tangerine marmalade, and lychee flavors. With air the wine further complexes and is punctuated by plump apricots, toasted brioche, and crushed chalk. This fun, sexy, and smart wine is imbued with a delightfully bright acidity and a long, rich full-bodied texture.

The Bordeaux varietal grapes in our Claret blend are sourced from our estate Twin Peaks Vineyard in the Stags Leap District and a few of our valued grower partners within Napa Valley. The wine is composed of small batches from a variety of blocks, representing a diverse range of carefully selected rootstocks and clones. Yields are maintained at sparse levels, with a focus on canopy management and vine balance. The resulting blend boasts remarkable depth and complexity.

The grapes were picked in the darkness of the early morning hours, and immediately subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered hand sorting process. The whole berries were gently gravity-delivered to tank by our crane system, minimizing disruption of berry integrity. Cold soaks lasted approximately five days, and fermentations were managed via a combination of délestage, pumpovers, and punch downs. Extended maceration, ranging from three to four weeks, fine-tuned our tannin profiles, allowing us to build mouth feel and wine complexity. The wine was aged in French oak, for twenty-one months.

The 2017 Claret is a fresh an elegantly delineated wine boasting a mix of inviting fruit and spice notes.  This dark ruby colored wine is laden with chocolate covered cherries, powered cocoa, and cassis aromas.  Summer raspberry and blackberry flavors coat the palate and luxurious blueberry jam flesh out on the long, expansive finish.  This lovely Claret is lithe and playful, but manages to maintain a weighty seriousness.  The black licorice, allspice, and plum notes persist on the finish tempting the taster for another glass.

– Christopher Tynan, Winemaker

The Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in this blend is from our Twin Peaks estate vineyard, while the Cabernet Franc hails from acclaimed viticulturist David Abreu’s Madrona Ranch.  The vineyards are farmed with meticulous attention to detail, maintaining yields at sparse levels—ranging from two to three tons per acre. The wine is composed of just a few of our best lots from these most cherished sites.

Grapes were picked in the darkness of the early morning hours. The freshly-harvested fruit immediately underwent rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, which included our cutting-edge optical sorter.  Whole berries were gently delivered by gravity to tank using our crane system, minimizing disruption of berry integrity. Cold soaks lasted approximately seven days, and fermentations were managed via a combination of délestage, pumpovers, and punchdowns.  Extended maceration ranging from four to five weeks fine-tuned our tannin profiles, allowing us to perfect mouth feel and wine complexity. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 85% of which was new, for twenty-one months.

While there are layers upon layers of black fig, black cherry, and warm plum flavors, there’s also a core of savory grilled steak and black truffle notes that reveal itself with time. A “bouquet garni” of thyme, bay leaf, and sage lends subtle hints of savory herbs.  Ultra fine and precise, the cashmere-like tannins lend the wine an ethereal and exhilaratingly long, polished finish that goes on seemingly forever.

Located at the base of Diamond Mountain in the western portion of the Calistoga appellation, our Calistoga estate vineyard has twenty acres of vineyard planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon.  The gravelly loam soils are volcanic in origin with alluvial influence made evident by copious amounts of water-rolled gravel and large cobbles.  While Calistoga can experience quite hot daytime temperatures, our estate is protected from the afternoon sun by Diamond Mountain to our west.  Cool breezes from the Pacific are drawn in by the narrow gap between Napa and Sonoma Counties, further mediating the hot days.  The result is powerful, rich Cabernet with balanced acidity.

Hand harvested in the cool dark of night, the fruit was brought to the winery and subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, including our cutting edge optical sorter, with a goal of eliminating less-than-perfect berries.  The selected fruit was gently delivered to tank via gravity by our crane system, retaining perfect, whole berries.  Cold soaks lasted approximately five days, and fermentations were managed by a combination of délestage and pump overs.  Extended maceration, ranging from three to four weeks, fine-tuned tannin profiles, allowing us to build structure and wine complexity.  The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 89% of which were new, for twenty-one months.

Atop the invitingly seductive and opaque purple colored 2016 Calistoga, wafts a lavish perfume of spring violet and lilacs.  Intense flavors of warm mulberry and mineral tinged cassis aromas luxuriate across the palate followed by spice notes of cardamom, clove, and ancho chile.  This vineyard’s signature black truffle note is intertwined with loamy gravel notes, black peppercorns, and grilled steak drippings.  This wine is imbued with a wide expansive finish that lasts more than a minute and never loses its focus.

– Christopher Tynan, Winemaker

Our Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon comes from exceptional, low-yielding vineyards with volcanic ash and gravelly loam soils in the Diamond Mountain appellation, nestled in the Mayacamas Range on the northwest side of Napa Valley.  The sun-drenched mountain vineyards have late afternoon breezes that ripen the fruit slowly and evenly.  Both sites are planted to extraordinary old vines on a steep incline with historic Napa field selections and produce age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon with dark fruit, intense structure, minerality, and perfume.

Hand harvested in the cool early morning hours, the fruit was immediately subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, including our cutting edge optical sorter, with a goal of eliminating less-than-perfect berries.  The berries were gently gravity-delivered to tank using our distinctive crane system, minimizing disruption of berry integrity.  Cold soaks lasted five days and fermentations were managed via a combination of délestage, punch downs and pump overs.  Extended maceration for four weeks fine-tuned our tannin profiles.  The wine underwent twenty-one months of élevage in French oak, 78% of which were new.

The amazing 2016 Diamond Mountain’s bouquet is resplendent with cool wild blackberry jam scented with subtle notes of bay leaf, cardamom, clove and talc.  There’s an interplay of rocks and loam in the nose as well.  Spiced fig, chocolate ganache, and blueberry flavors unfold on the palate underscored by blackberry and graphite notes.  Like all of our 2016 wines, this wine has an expansive, mouth coating texture that is lush and joyfully persistent.  The crescendo of the finish is a wash of savory cumin power, cedar, and violet flavors and aromas completing this wine of contemplation.  – Christopher Tynan, Winemaker

Exceptional high-elevation vineyards in the Howell Mountain appellation produce intensely concentrated grapes for this wine.  Soils are volcanic in origin and consist of two main types; the first is decomposed volcanic ash called tufa, and the second is red volcanic rock and clay that is high in iron.  Both are nutrient poor, which stresses the vines, producing intense and structured wines from small clusters and berries.  The altitude, climate, and soils combine to create a classic mountain Cabernet Sauvignon with incredible concentration, texture, and structure.

Hand harvested in the cool early morning hours, the fruit was immediately subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, including our cutting edge optical sorter, with a goal of eliminating less-than-perfect berries.  The berries were gently gravity-delivered to tank using our distinctive crane system, minimizing disruption of berry integrity.  Cold soaks lasted five days and fermentations were managed via a combination of délestage, punch downs and pump overs.  Extended maceration for four weeks fine-tuned our tannin profiles.  The wine underwent twenty-one months of élevage in French oak, 78% of which were new

The amazing 2016 Diamond Mountain’s bouquet is resplendent with cool wild blackberry jam scented with subtle notes of bay leaf, cardamom, clove and talc.  There’s an interplay of rocks and loam in the nose as well.  Spiced fig, chocolate ganache, and blueberry flavors unfold on the palate underscored by blackberry and graphite notes.  Like all of our 2016 wines, this wine has an expansive, mouth coating texture that is lush and joyfully persistent.  The crescendo of the finish is a wash of savory cumin power, cedar, and violet flavors and aromas completing this wine of contemplation.  – Christopher Tynan, Winemaker

Our estate vineyard blocks are named after Cliff’s favorite rock songs and albums. The name of this blend is derived from The Yardbirds “Heart Full of Soul” in our Poetry vineyard and from The Doors’ “Light My Fire” in our Twin Peaks vineyard. The Cabernet Sauvignon in “Heart Full of Soul” is planted in shallow volcanic soil and farmed to low yields, contributing structure, concentration and classic Stags Leap character to the backbone of the blend.  “Light My Fire” is a block of Cabernet that contributes a luxurious perfume, flavors of ripe, dark fruit, and plush texture

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, 62% of which were new.

Dark gobs of cassis and crushed blackberry layer atop a core of sumptuous black fig tinged with notes of spring violets and burning embers.  The olfactory is draped in fragrances and flavors of lavender and chocolate ganache.  A fresh acidity livens the palate and gives energy to the bright and long ultrafine finish

The fruit was sourced from the hillside terraces of our Poetry Vineyard, our Twin Peaks Vineyard estate surrounding the winery, and a few neighboring vineyards in the Stags Leap District.  The wine is composed of small lots from our best blocks, representing a diverse range of carefully selected clones and rootstocks.  From Poetry’s exposed, rocky terraces boasting volcanic origins, to the ancient riverbed alluvial soils of Twin Peaks, the breadth of contributing sites translates into a wine of impressive complexity.

Grapes were picked in the darkness of the early morning hours. The freshly-harvested fruit immediately underwent rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, which included our cutting-edge optical sorter. Whole berries were gently delivered by gravity to tank using our crane system, minimizing disruption of berry integrity. Cold soaks lasted approximately seven days, and fermentations were managed via a combination of délestage, pumpovers, and punchdowns.  Extended maceration ranging from four to five weeks fine-tuned our tannin profiles, allowing us to perfect mouth feel and wine complexity. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 65% of which were new, for twenty-one months.

The 2017 Stags Leap Cabernet is darkly ruby/purple colored and possesses vibrant aromas of violets, lavender, blackberry, huckleberry, black licorice, and warm chocolate covered cherries.  Juicy, penetrating, and conveying terrific depth, this gorgeously flavored wine possesses layers of blood orange, cardamom, cocoa powder, and slate.  The long opulent finish continues on with notes of minerals, loam, pan grille, and cassis, whilst the supple tannins go on supporting the well framed structure.

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, 81% of which were new, the blend was selected from our best lots of the Poetry Vineyard.

Dense and brooding on opening, with time liquefied rocks, warm plum, black licorice, bay leaf, and sage soar from the first glass.  Equal parts black currant and summer fig flavors coalesce on the expansive entry, while smoked cardamom and lavender aromas saturate the olfactory in a glorious cornucopia of ambrosial harmony.  The voluptuous palate finishes with a wave of ultrafine tannins that unites for a seamless finale of gorgeous violet perfume.

-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 French oak barrels, 72% new.

Our 2016 Songbook is a beautiful dance of sweet and savory fragrances and flavors.  The fruit leads this vintage with ambrosial notes of fig paste, crushed wild raspberries, and black currants.  Following, but no less important, are savory nori wrapper, fennel pollen, black truffle, and dried shiitakes.  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, and white chocolate notes linger on the long finish.

-Christopher Tynan, Winemaker