Napa Cellars is on a mission to bring people Napa Valley fruit and experience to people who don’t want the typical high-prices associated to them. While the winery has changed hands a few times it is now owned by the Trinchero Family – yes, the same owners of Sutter Home.
These four wines are all under $25 and as mentioned, are really aimed squarely at folks who insist on Napa fruit at more reasonable prices.
2009 Chardonnay – W.E.P. Rating: 85%
Technical Data:
- Date: Sept. 4th – October 2nd, 2008
- Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
- Oak: 7 months 100% French Oak (34% new)
- T.A. at Harvest: .59g/100ml
- pH at Harvest: 3.60
- Alcohol: 14.45%
- T.A.: .59g/100ml
- pH: 3.60
- Oak: 100% French Oak, 1/3 New
- Cases: 24,500
- Release Date: June 2009
- Price: $24
Nose: Pineapple, chalk, tree-moss, bannana, grapefruit and sea shells.
Taste: Crisp pineapple and green apple tidbits hit my tongue with force. It has a nice, dry mid-palate transistion w/o that heavy-oaked “California chardonnay profile”. I do get a slight smidgen of vanilla on the finish but the fruit doesn’t at all take a back seat to it and the acidity in this wine really helps hold it all together.
2008 Merlot – W.E.P. Rating: 90%
Technical Data:
- Harvest Date: Sept. 7th-20th 2007
- Varietal: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
- T.A. at Harvest: .58g/100ml
- Alcohol: 14.50%
- T.A.: .58g/100ml
- pH: 3.60
- Aging: 20 months in oak – mostly French oak with 36% new
- Cases: 14,000
- Release Date: November 2009
- Price: $22
Nose: Black cherries, black peppercorns, plums, currant and hoison sauce.
Taste: Very pronounced plum-suace action on the initial pass-thru along with some chunks of leather, saddle soap, blackberries and currants. Good mid-palate transition into notes of chocolate, vanilla casis and a splash of medicine cabinet. The finish is pretty good – the alcohol does creep up a touch but isn’t too bad. Overall, a good merlot for the money.
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon - W.E.P. Rating: 90%
Technical Data:
Harvest Date: Sept. 18th – October 29th 2007 Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon T.A. at Harvest: .57g/100ml Alcohol: 13.80% T.A.: .57g/100ml pH: 3.67 Aging: 18 months in oak – mostly French oak with 55% new Cases: 19,500 Release Date: November 2009 Price: $26
Nose: Cherries, wet shoe laces, rose petals, cinnamon, star wars action figure, raspberries and leather.
Taste: Definitely get some nice cherry notes along with cascading waves of cola, shoe-polish, carmel, raspberries and plum skin. The firm tannins really scream out the youth of this wine – it’d do well to lay down another year or two, however, the finish is quite good for a “Napa cab” in this price range. With that said, there are certainly better cabs from other regions for the same price. I can totally see this wine doing well for those who insist on a Napa Cab but want to stay in a certain budget.
2008 Zinfandel - W.E.P. Rating: 70%
Technical Data:
Harvest Date: Sept. 4th-13th 2007 Varietal: 88% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah T.A. at Harvest: .56g/100ml Alcohol: 15.30% T.A.: .56g/100ml pH: 3.65 Aging: 31% French oak (75% new), 69% American oak (25% new) Cases: 10,000 Release Date: November 2009 Price: $22
Nose: Blackberries, pepper, blueberries, cherries, vanilla and chocolate.
Taste: Good combination of black fruits, black pepper and spice. There’s an obvious amount of oak in this wine but it’s not over-oaked like so many cheaper zins are from California. It’s finish brings out notes of dark chocolate, hickory, blackberries and spice. I can see how this will totally appeal to most zin-drinkers but it’s not quite as pure as I prefer with the oakiness of it.
Loading ...