2016 Winemaker Series Petit Verdot
ABOUT WINEMAKERS SERIES
Crafted especially for our wine club members, the Winemaker Series allows us to select interesting lots and create unique blends. This is like taking a walk through the vineyard, experiencing the unique characteristics that define Stag's Leap Wine Cellars' world-class vineyards. These wines offer a great juxtaposition to our classic Stag's Leap Wine Cellars offerings.
VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING
In 2016, Winemaker Marcus Notaro was extremely impressed by the Petit Verdot from the Hardester Vineyard and decided to produce this bottling. Great Petit Verdot needs sunlight, heat and long hangtime. The Hardester Vineyard is a perfect site with good exposure to the sun and favorable shifts from warm sunny days to cool evenings, extending hangtime. This wine is a blend of 80% Petit Verdot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Petit Verdot is entirely sourced from the Hardester Vineyard in Pope Valley, while the Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from several vineyards.
The wine was fermented in 100% stainless steel. After fermentation, the wine was aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak.
VINTAGE
Although bud-break in Napa Valley was early in 2016, the season was much cooler than normal. We didn’t get the usual high heat in July and August, which provided for a longer hang time for the grapes. Overall, quality was high. The harvest was smooth and progressed from varietal to varietal with the Sauvignon Blanc coming in first, then the Chardonnay, and time in between to transition to the reds. In late September, we started bringing in Cabernet Sauvignon from across the valley and it was interesting that the grapes – all the way from the cooler Coombsville area up to the warmer parts of St. Helena – ripened at the same time. We completed the Cabernet harvest in October.
TASTING NOTES
This Petit Verdot has a perfumed nose filled with floral and spice, along with notes of cassis, green tea, dried lavender, and sage. The wine is dark in color and rich with polished tannins and a concentrated finish.
Food Pairings
Pork roast with rosemary and sage or smoked beef brisket would be a nice complement to this wine.