Q2 2021 - PREMIUM Club Shipment

Ellman Family Vineyards - 2017 'Jemma’ Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Reorder)

• Based in Napa, CA, they have a tasting studio in downtown Napa that is by appointment only
• Produce 1500-1800 cases a year across Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Sauvignon Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc.

Founded by brothers Neil and Lance Ellman, the Ellman Estate Vineyard is a 20-acre, west-facing parcel of vineyards along the historic Silverado Trail which is nestled at the base of Soda Canyon in the shadows of Atlas Peak.  The vines grow in an ancient riverbed. Because the vineyard is planted on the bench of the Vaca Mountains, the vines benefit from traits of both valley floor and hillside characteristics. The soil is strewn with cobbles and rocks, stressing the vines and offering optimal drainage.

2017 'Jemma' Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 350 cases produced
• 22 months in barrel, in a combination of new and used oak
• $125/bottle

Vineyard: 79% Ellman Estate Vineyard, 21% Vine Hill Ranch

Winemaker: Andy Erickson | Resume – Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Dalle Valle, Ovid, To Kalon, Favia.

Tasting Notes: Named for Neil Ellman’s wife, 2017 marks the 11th year producing the Jemma Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine. This vintage is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is sourced from the Ellman Estate Vineyard and Vine Hill Ranch.

With an intense ruby taste, the 2017 Jemma has expressive aromatics of elderberries, black currants and a myriad of bramble fruits, peppered with hints of graphite, caramel and thyme. On the palate, it has a lush fruit profile of blackberry compote, plum clafoutis and a basket full of Bing cherries. Muscular and weighty on the palate, the dark fruit character is precisely framed by focused tannins and an enduring, lengthy finish.  Aptly paired with a classic Beef Bourguignon or a simple dry-aged New York strip! 

 

• Based in Kenwood, CA, the tasting room is by appointment only. 
• Produce 4,000 cases per year of Napa Valley wines, and 5,000 cases of Sonoma Valley wines
• B. Wise owns & operates three wineries (2 sonoma, 1 Napa).  The owner, Brion Wise, owns over 50+ acres of grapes in Sonoma County and is in partnership in over 500 acres of grapes in Napa Valley.

B. Wise is a wine project founded by proprietor Brion Wise that brings together the best that Sonoma and Napa vineyards have to offer. As part of that, they sought winemaking expertise that would allow them to take the best advantage of extraordinary vineyard sites. In 2002 they began working with Massimo Monticelli, who came from Silver Oak, as the winemaker for the B. Wise Estate. Mark Herold brings depth to their Napa Cabernet portfolio from his pioneering oenology work for Joseph Phelps and his own successful Merus Cabernet.

2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 500 cases produced
• 20 months on 80% New French Oak
• $125/bottle

Vineyard: Coombsville, Yountville and Oakville.

Winemaker(s):  Massimo Monticello (Silver Oak) and Mark Herold (Joseph Phelps and Merus)

Tasting notes:  From distinguished vineyards in the Coombsville, Yountville, and Oakville districts. The opaque black-red hue reveals the concentration and depth of the wine. Dark fruits of blackberry and cassis with notes of spice, bay leaf, and dark chocolate emanate from the glass. The fruits are further enveloped by toasty oak tones with layers of violet, clove, and vanilla. In the mouth, layers of refined tannin give broad texture and extended length to the wine. The wine finishes with great energy and mineral tones. Drink 2021-2031.

 

 

Somnium - 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Reorder)

Latin for "dream," founder and former Indy and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick pursued hers by purchasing the 24-acre estate on Howell Mountain in 2009.  Aaron Pott was the founding winemaker, and has handed the reins over to current winemaker Julien Fayard, with the certified organic vineyard that is farmed by Pina Vineyard Management.

In 2019, the Somnium estate vineyard was certified organic, furthering an ongoing commitment to quality and purity in every bottle of wine they craft.

2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

• 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
• 320 Cases produced
• $75/bottle

Winemaker:  Julien Fayard | Resume Covert Estate, Lafite Rothschild, Smith Haut Lafitte.

Production notes: Seamless season marked by optimal hangtimes and exemplary phenolic development. February brought bountiful rains, followed by an abundance of filtered light in spring and early summer. Bud break and flowering occurred slightly later in 2018, but under ideal weather conditions, creating plentiful and even fruit set. Summer virtually uninterrupted by major heat spikes. A relatively mild summer followed by extended fall sunshine and moderate hear created near-ideal conditions for winemakers to allow fruit to accumulate flavor complexity with gradual increases in sugar levels.

In the vineyard, the Somnium Estate sits on the flanks of Howell Mountain at 1,300 feet and faces directly west and southwest, benefitting from maximum sun exposure. The high elevation keeps the estate vineyard, on average, five degrees cooler than the valley floor, resulting in a steady growing seasons. This wine was harvested from blocks 3, 4, 6, and 7 then blended together from one of the oldest Merlot blocks in Coombsville, situated on a rocky hillside with well-drained soil.

Tasting notes: The 2018 Somnium Cabernet Sauvignon is aromatic and fresh with intense blackberry, black currant and blueberry flavors. Cherry fills the mouth, with hints of rosemary, sage and earthy notes on the end palate, followed by a smooth, soft finish.