January 2018
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JANUARY 2018 Napa Valley From the Winemakers The 2017 Vintage at Inglenook, Strong Rutherford, Napa Valley The Weather The spate of recent wildfires that spread aggressively throughout Northern California will go on record as Rainfall in winter and spring, at nearly 50 inches, was being one of the most destructive natural disasters in very generous. Budbreak was 10 days earlier than 2016, the state’s history. Fed by dry air and high-velocity on average, which allowed us to correctly predict an early winds – sometimes reaching up to 60 miles per hour 2017 harvest. Temperatures were normal throughout – the wine country fires destroyed almost 400 square the growing season, with the exception of three discrete miles of land and leveled nearly 10,000 structures. periods of intense heat (mid-June, end of August, 2nd week of September) with temperatures in excess of 100 degrees. Because the fires began fairly late on the night of The use of shadecloth and well-timed irrigation helped us to October 8, many residents were already asleep, and mitigate the impact of these elevated temperatures. the speed with which the fires arrived left them only minutes to gather essential belongings and escape Notable 2017 Inglenook harvest facts the path of the racing blaze. Local and regional firefighters stood side-by-side with those who came n Sauvignon Blanc harvest began August 17th from other states, intuiting how the fire would move n First red grapes, Merlot from the Cohn vineyard, arrived on August 31st and employing an assortment of techniques, such as n First Cabernet Sauvignon harvested was from our Cohn setting backfires and using fire retardants, to redirect Peninsula block on September 2nd the flames or quell them altogether. [See Inglenook’s n The bulk of harvesting took place from September 4th interview with John Sorensen, St. Helena’s Fire Chief, to 29th, at an average rate of 20 tons per day on pages 6-7.] Within about two weeks, the majority of fires were largely contained. The Impact of the 2017 Wildfires Relief efforts to help thousands of displaced resi- Incredibly strong winds on the night of October 8th, dents were initiated at the start of the fires. In Napa quickly spread wildfires that began at three different points Valley, the Napa Valley Community Foundation on the hillsides of Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Fortunately quickly mobilized its Disaster Relief Fund which dis- for Inglenook, harvest had already been completed. The tributes immediate response grants to local nonprofit combined factors of (1) maturity at Inglenook that is generally early, (2) the practice of early pruning, and (3) agencies providing such services as medical care, weather conditions in 2017 were all factors that allowed meals, counseling, and temporary shelter. Inglenook Inglenook to emerge unscathed from the risk of smoke taint. joined those efforts by offering promotional sales and dedicating a generous percentage of the proceeds The Wines to the Relief Fund. Having observed with the first 2017 red wine lots that While the fires came dangerously close to some build- extraction of color and tannin, while of superb quality, was ings here at Inglenook, we were extremely fortunate very rapid, the Inglenook winemaking team shortened the in being spared any damage. The principals who over- typical length of maceration (time on skins, from tank fill see our winemaking team – Director of Winemaking, to draining of the new wine) to 12 days, from the typical Philippe Bascaules; Vineyard Manager, Enrique Her- length of 21 days in an average year. This decision allowed rero; and Associate Winemaker Chris Phelps – report- us to preserve freshness and balance, while avoiding over- ed that harvest had been completed prior to the fires extraction, which would have resulted in wines that were clumsy and too astringent. The result is wines with rich, and the 2017 vintage remains unscathed. dark, fully-developed flavor profiles, without excessive Inglenook extends its heartfelt wishes and continued tannin. Additionally, the relatively early harvest ensured support to the individuals, families, and businesses that the wines retained elegance at moderate alcohol levels. impacted by October’s wildfires. At this time of tra- Chris Phelps ditional “fresh starts,” we would ask members of the Associate Winemaker Heritage Society to please consider making a dona- tion to the Disaster Relief Fund of the Napa Valley Community Foundation (at www.napavalleycf.org), Contents purchasing wine and other merchandise from area wineries, or combining pleasure with generosity by Letter to our Members page 2 planning your next vacation to Napa Valley. About: 2011 Rubicon page 3 About: 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon page 4 From all of us at Inglenook, a safe and most happy New Year! About: 2014 Bancaneaux page 5 Interview with John Sorensen page 6 Blaise Taddune Heritage Society 2018 Heritage Society Schedule of Events and Shipments back cover 2011 Rubicon History In 1975, Francis Ford Coppola purchased the historic Inglenook property, intent on restoring the estate’s legacy of creating world- class wines equal to those that founder Gustave Niebaum and his grandnephew John Daniel Jr. made for decades. Rubicon, the estate’s flagship wine since 1978, is produced from the best estate grown fruit, including the historic Gustave Niebaum Cabernet Sauvignon selection, which was first planted on the property in the 1880s. Vintage By all accounts, 2011 was a difficult vintage. Chilly spring temperatures and heavy rains delayed bud break, and crops were reduced significantly on account of the weather. The rains were also responsible for the lower alcohol-level this vintage. But, there was a silver lining: having less fruit intensified flavor concentration and phenolics in the grape clusters that remained. This year’s Rubicon is showing very complex aromas and a well-balanced flavor profile, which speaks to the estate’s ability to produce a quality wine despite what others would normally consider a bad vintage. Winemaking Notes Over the last few years, we’ve continued to refine the methods we use in crafting Rubicon, in order to create the most elegant wine possible. We’re more discerning about the selections that go into Rubicon, even though we had less fruit to work with this vintage. We also purchased a new de-stemmer, which treats the fruit more gently and causes less oxidation. This results in better aromatic expression, allowing the fruit to show off its pure character. Likewise, we’ve improved our fermentation techniques to prevent over-extraction. Now, rather than using pump overs at scheduled intervals, we evaluate each individual block and consider which ones would benefit from development to optimize the proper balance and structure of the wine. This vintage was aged in 80% new oak barrels for 18 months before it was bottled. Tasting Notes Our most recent tasting of the 2011 Rubicon revealed a complex nose that includes notes of graphite, dark red currants, and a floral potpourri of dried rose petals with hints of allspice. This wine demonstrates a refined richness, yet its intensity does not weigh down the palate. The flavors exude a freshness, complemented by nice acidity. Impressions of juicy dark cherries, tobacco, and currants are most prevalent, while notes of spices, tea leaves, and an intriguing earthy quality create a more rugged wine that is very expressive of its unique terroir. The wine’s essence is further enhanced by fine-grained tannins, which support an elegant structure and refined finish that boasts deep aromatic notes of espresso. Appellation: Rutherford, CA Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 % Petit Verdot Vineyard: Cask, Walnut 94/96, Gio, Upper Garden, Creek, Gate Case Production: 3,500 cases Alcohol: 13.9% Release Date: September 2014 – page 3 – 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon History In 1975, Francis Ford Coppola purchased the historic Inglenook property, intent on restoring the estate’s legacy of creating world-class wines equal to those founder Gustave Niebaum and his grandnephew John Daniel Jr. made for decades. Inglenook CASK wines, which were originally produced between 1934 and 1964, have been judged by critics to be among the best Cabernets ever made. Since 1995, the Coppola family has produced a new era of CASK wines that are crafted in the same spirit as those made more than half a century ago. The Vintage 2012 was one of the best vintages in recent history because of near perfect climate conditions. The entire season was marked by moderate temperatures, which lasted through September and October. Having no heat spikes or rain to contend with in the fall allowed the fruit to hang on the vines longer, giving the grapes better concentration and ripeness as well as more textural dimension and flavor complexity. Winemaking Notes Over the last few years, we’ve perfected our already refined winemaking methods, using smaller trays during harvest, a gentler destemmer that minimizes oxidation, and applying greater scrutiny during the fermentation process by evaluating individual blocks of fruit daily to optimize pump overs. These methods have greatly enhanced the quality of the 2012 vintage. Tasting Notes On the nose, black cherries, strawberries, and raspberries create a rich perfume that’s enlivened by notes of violets and baking spices. There’s an exceptional balance of ripeness, not overdone or underdone, enhanced by moderate acidity, even development on the palate, and impressions of blueberry cream and black raspberries. This wine is meaty. Supple, long lasting tannins frame richly textured flavors that linger on the finish. Appellation: Rutherford, CA Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon; 12% Cabernet Franc; 3% Merlot Vineyard: Cohn, Red Barn, Chateau Alcohol: 14.5% Barrel Regimen: 90% French oak; 10% American oak; 35% new oak – page 4 – 2014 Blancaneaux About the Wine Blancaneaux, a white Rhone-style blend of estate-grown Roussanne, Marsanne, and Viognier, was created in 1999 as the partner to Rubicon, Inglenook’s premier red wine.