2011 Portfolio, Limited Edition
Vintage Note
Continuing the cooling trend of 2010, 2011 growing season had tenacious morning fog, cool weather and unexpected rainfall during the flowering and the blooming seasons. This weather conditions disrupted the fruit set and reduced the number and size of berries on each cluster yet increased concentration of the fruit. The good news is that ripening season and harvest were very slow and harvest was later than normal. It translated to optimum development of the aromas, flavors and tannin maturity. It was an atypical vintage which brought new dimensions to the Napa Valley.
Elegant, pure and balanced, the wine shows aromas of blackberry, cassis and sage weaved with spicy sweet oak. The mouthfeel has a beautiful flow from beginning to end. A solid velvety texture and silky tannins envelop flavors of wild berry, dark cherry and a touch of dark cocoa. The satiny finish is fresh, vibrant and lingering with a touch of fresh herbs and minerality. The wine will cellar well for many decades.
Winemaking Note
Composition: Cabernet Sauvignon 82%, Cabernet Franc 18%
Fruit Sources: Hendry Ranch Block 8 and Detert East
Age of Vines: CS 37 years and CF 32 years
Date of Harvest: October 13th and 23rd
Fermentation: Fermented in 1-ton bin
Winemaking: Natural gravity flow, no fining, no filtration
Skin Contact: 30 days
Malolactic Fermentation: In barrel
Barrel Aging: 30 months in 100% New French Oak
Production: 200 cases
Accolade
Wine Enthusiast
95 points, Editor's Choice
"This is a tiny-production blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc, the latter sourced from Detert East Vineyard along the Oakville bench, the former from Hendry Ranch in western Napa. Made by Genevieve Janssens, it has an old-world soul with plenty of California complexity, balanced in woody notes of coconut flake and black cherry, the tannins are fine-grained and integrated. A simply gorgeous wine." - Virginie Boone