Nose
The Napa Cellars 2018 Pinot Noir is an elegant wine with beautiful aromas of dried cherries, tart plum, earthy notes, cola and mushroom complemented by hints of graham cracker and cardamom.
Palate
Soft, velvety, smooth entry leads to abundant flavors of dark berry with vanilla, toasted pie crust notes and a bit of cocoa powder and cinnamon on the finish.
Growing Conditions
The 2018 growing season offered superlative growing conditions with abundant rain at the beginning of the year. Plenty of sunshine and moderate temperatures throughout the spring and summer led up to a harvest with great crop quality.
Harvest
Grapes for the Napa Cellars 2018 Pinot Noir were sourced exclusively from premier
vineyards in the southern part of Napa Valley, where the San Pablo Bay creates a cool, maritime climate. Morning fog rolls across the vines, ushering in the cool breezes ideal for growing delicate, flavorful Pinot Noir. The vines here produce complex, layered fruit that translates to an earthy minerality and exceptional natural acidity in the glass.
Winemaking
Once harvested, the grapes were carefully sorted, de-stemmed and gently crushed.
During a 7 to 9 day maceration period, délestage—the process of removing the grape seeds and allowing the juice to remain in contact with the skins—was employed. This technique helped to release the aromatic character of the fruit, enhance the color and flavor of the wine, and create soft, round tannins.
Aging
Following fermentation, the wine was aged in 100% French oak barrels (39% new) for 11 months.
Food Pairing
For a delicious meal, pair this Pinot with garlic and herb roasted pork tenderloin, followed by dark chocolate mousse for dessert.
