Made entirely from fruit grown in the singular and striking Andrus Estate, this wine honors the legacy of our founder. Blackberry jam and earth greet the nose, with a silty and stemmy quality that is reminiscent of a foray through an herb garden. There’s real minerality on the palate, elements of slate playing off flavors like ripe red fruit compote, cola, and cocoa nibs. It’s a generous wine upfront, showing rich and lush character that extends well into the mid palate. While ample, the wine remains concentrated and focused, with a refined finish showcasing polished tannin. We suggest a good chocolate mole to bring out the best of the Andrus Estate. Enjoy now or cellar for 15-20 years.
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.
Harvested from September 12th through 16th, 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 92˚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 90% new French oak barrels to meld the bright fruit expression with oak spice nuances. After three months of aging, we blended the vineyard components and allow them to marry for a total of 26 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!