Winemaker Notes
"I just realized in looking at the vineyard composition of this wine, it is 100% St Helena appellation. I feel like we keep doing this, the 2021 Napa for instance was 100% Oakville. Ultimately, it’s a good sign, always chasing the best appellations every vintage. St Helena in 2023 was particularly strong given the abundant spring rains and cool growing conditions throughout the warmest parts of the summer. This edition is approximately 50% Panek, 20% Vidovich Lane and 30% Dean York, a new western St Helena site that fell into our laps at the last minute. More due to size than quality, we were able to be very selective in how we harvested blocks in 2023. All 4 Panek blocks saw their own tanks and we were able to cut VLV into two pieces based on vigor. Only the absolute top lots made the single vineyard cut but with quality near an all-time high, that selection became more subjective than objective at times. For the Napa wine, the default criteria centered around drinkability, freshness and a slightly less structured build. There’s plenty of power here but there’s also a balancing red fruited note. The abundant fruit of the year is joined by savory notes of tobacco, sandalwood and creosote. Acidity provides a nice lightness to the palate. This as the starter wine is a great indicator for just how great 2023 turned out to be."
- Thomas Rivers Brown, winemaker