Tasting Notes
Philip Togni’s east-facing, organically dry-farmed 10-hectare vineyard lies high up on the mountain itself, above the fog line at just over 600 metres. Surrounded by oak trees and tall Douglas Firs, the site is planted to 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, with the balance comprising Cabernet Franc (2%) and Petit Verdot (1%). Generally speaking, the varietal makeup of each release reflects these plantings. It’s a steeply terraced site, home to old vines (33 years on average) in rocky soils of weathered sandstone and shale.
Philip Togni’s preference from the outset has been to make wines more in the mould of Saint-Estèphe—Calon Ségur is a reference—rather than the more giving Saint-Julien; in each season, he and Lisa seek to emulate the longevity, rugged character and definition found in those wines. “That’s what we set out to do, and with a few tweaks, it seems as if that’s what we have achieved.”
The seamless 2018 season has turned out to be a cast-iron classic at this estate, producing elegant, detailed, vineyard-driven Cabernet. The fruit was picked in the third week of September with potential alcohol between 13 and 14%. The grapes were sorted, gently destemmed, crushed and cold-soaked for three days. After 20 days’ co-fermenting, the wine was pressed to French oak (40% new Taransaud and Nadalie). It was bottled in August 2020. - Importer Note
Less is more! Minimal intervention or Lo-fi wines encapsulate those producers who keep additions and manipulations to a minimum during the winemaking process. This means the wines are wild fermented, unfiltered and unfined, and only add sulfur during the process.
| Product Type | Wine Red Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot & Friends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Sub Region | Napa Valley |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |