Wines - 2023 Cliff Lede Crossfade, Napa Valley

The 2023 Crossfade is skillfully woven together from some of the top Grand Cru of Napa Valley. Our prestigious Stags Leap District Poetry and Rhythm Vineyards provide the foundation, while acclaimed viticulturist David Abreu’s Madrona Ranch Vineyard in St. Helena and Lucia Vineyard on Howell Mountain lend accents. 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 innovative 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 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, 71% of which were new, for twenty-two months.

The charming and lush 2023 Crossfade features an incredibly complex nose of charcoal embers, blackberry, cassis, warm mulberries, and a delightful array of forest floor notes. A co-fermented lot of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc plays the leading role, sending forth a whirlwind of cigar tobacco, Ancho chile, dried leaves, and mineral notes. A crescendo of malted chocolate and roasted chestnut flavors ride out along the balanced finish of this unique and singular wine. – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking