Nose
The 2010 Pahlmeyer “Pièce de Résistance” unfolds with complex aromas of ripe huckleberry, spicewood and dark black cherry.
Palate
Velvet smooth on the entry, it oozes with kirsch, bittersweet chocolate and panna cotta followed by earthy layers of grilled herb, prime rib and fine dust. A deep current of acidity balances the sculpted tannins and delivers a lengthy finish, promising aging potential for decade to come.
Growing Conditions
On a perch overlooking the Napa Valley, high above the fog line, our estate vineyard is the rocky home to our Bordeaux varieties and Chardonnay.
Varieties Grown: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay
Year Planted: 1999
Acres Planted: 72
Elevation: 1,500 to 2,100 feet
Soil: Rocky outcropping in the higher elevations; Bressa-Dibble (rocky loam) in the lower elevations
Row Orientation: Northeast to Southwest
4 barrels produced. Sold out.
Bottling
It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Winemaking
The grape clusters were hand-sorted, and once de-stemmed, the berries were sorted again by hand on the way to tank. After four to five days of pre-fermentation cold maceration in small open-top fermentors, the fruit began 100% native yeast fermentation. Two to three weeks later, the fruit was gently pressed and moved to barrel where it finished primary and secondary fermentations.
Aging
The wine continued to age in 85% new French oak – a combination of Taransaud and St. Martin barrels – for eighteen months.
Appearance
With its obsidian core and Imperial purple body, the first impression of this wine speaks to its brooding intensity.
