Fiercely fragrant, the Malbec begins with blue raspberry, peach skin and a touch of musk. On the palate, a blend of fruit, spice, and savory notes unfolds, with layers of Saigon cinnamon, blackberry pie, black pepper, and graham cracker. Generous and concentrated, this wine winds its way around a sturdy framework of fine-grained tannin and ample acidity. Grounded and lengthy, this Malbec finishes with grace and stately patience. Drink now through 2034 and pour it to the tune of a blue-cheese cheeseburger or risotto with wild mushrooms.
Sourced primarily from our estate vineyards in Carneros and the Stags Leap District, the grapes were harvested between September 16th and October 4th.
The 2022 growing season in Napa Valley saw record-breaking weather events, with 80% of the total rainfall arriving before the new year. This filled vineyard ponds for the first time in two years but was followed by the driest three months on record, leading to an early bud break. Despite the dry spell, healthier canopies resulted from earlier rains. The summer was generally average but slightly warmer than 2021. Harvest started 5 to 7 days earlier than the previous year and was 15% lighter but of exceptional quality. A Labor Day heat wave accelerated harvest, later cooled by a late September rain event. Overall, the 2022 harvest was the most condensed in recent memory.
The grapes were hand-harvested at night when temperatures often dip to 50˚F – to capture vibrant acidity and fruit expression in the wine. We first cold-soaked the must (crushed grapes) for gentle extraction and then fermented in stainless steel, concrete and oak barrel fermenters at 88˚F. Rigorous pump-overs, increasing during the peak of the fermentation, developed deep color, rich varietal character and fine tannins in the wine. The wine was aged in 40% new French oak barrels to meld the bright fruit expression with oak spice nuances. After three months of aging, we blend the vineyard components and allow them to marry for a total of 20 months of barrel élevage. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered to present the attributes of the vineyard in the purest form possible, from the dirt to the glass!