“The La Dame Michele Blanc de Mélange is the fifth release from our sparkling wine series. A blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, this sparkling has backbone and body, supple fruit and a fragrant delicacy that will age beautifully. With a light peach hue, the Blanc de Mélange’s color matches its stone fruit aromas along with a bouquet of chrysanthemum and chamomile. The palate has energetic focus, creamy bubbles and structured fruit and spice. Pluots, white strawberries, ginger and French toast intertwine with notable balance. The finish is bright, rich and dry and is the most complex La Dame Michele to date.”
An uneventful and easy growing season until mid-October rainstorms. Caramel and golden tones are perfumed with ripe passionfruit, baked lychee and framed by beeswax and toasted vanilla bean. Flavors of warm mango, tangerine marmalade, gingersnap and sumac have a bright energy and blossom with aeration.
"My first taste of Musqué clone grapes was with Larry Hyde in the early 80’s when I visited his vineyard with my father. Exceptionally flavorful and aromatic we planted just under two acres of it at our Church Vineyard estate in Carneros in 2003. Seventeen years later, the 2020 vintage is expressive with mango, orange stone fruit and sweet spice fragrances. Cantaloupe, cherimoya and Meyer lemon are broad on the palate with hints of tarragon and nougat. The delicate crème on the palate persists through noted minerality and a bright, acidic lift."
"This Western-clone sauvignon blanc from cool climate Napa Carneros is full of orange blossom, papaya and white pepper aromas. Juicy passionfruit, Key lime and lemongrass notes on the palate are tinged with crystalized ginger and white floral notes. The texture leads with bright acidity while softer edges follow through the mid palate to a high-toned finish."
"A bouquet of ambrosia with orchard and tropical fruit are framed by hints of honeysuckle and praline. The palate is smooth and broad with notes of pineapple cake, vanilla bean and citrus crème brûlée. The finish is nuanced and lingering with apple blossom and macadamia."
"Selected as the best few barrels of chardonnay from the 2019 vintage. Native yeasts and barrel fermentation provide complexity and character with scents of rich orchard fruit, lemon meringue and toasted coconut. The texture is spry for its weight with progressive layers of baked apple and pear, beeswax and jasmine, vanilla bean and cinnamon butter. This fourth release of the John Anthony Reserve Chardonnay exhibits the terroir from our vineyards more than ever before."
"Less than one acre of “Hermitage” clone syrah on the Crane Vineyard has become the dominant expression in this wine. On the nose, powerful fresh blackberry, Chambord and preserved fig are followed by black pepper, olive and brisket. The wine is compact and opens up beautifully with time. On the palate dark berry and plum mingle with rosemary, star anise and bacon notes with velvety tannins. The result is a wine of incredible balance: tension and energy, plush and structured, sweet and savory."
"This dense ruby-hued cabernet sauvignon leads with wildly-aromatic black and red currants and floral notes of violet, lavender and rose. Cracked pink peppercorn and savory spices give further depth to the aromatics. On the palate sumptuous blackberries and ripe Bing cherries meld with hints of kola nut, cordovan leather and dark mole. Wonderful tannin structure carries decadent layers of chocolate raspberry cake and crème de cassis into a long, lingering finish."
"The debut vintage of this cabernet sauvignon from the Calistoga AVA, Napa Valley comes from deep, fertile slopes of our small, 10-acre estate in the northeastern Calistoga benchlands. Red winter fruit aromas of plum and pomegranate are tinged with hints of tobacco leaf and old leather. The palate is focused with cassis, wild blue flowers and dusty minerality opening to brambly berries, cocoa nib and holiday spices. The texture is sturdy with dusty tannins and a broad, enveloping finish."
"The twenty-five-year-old vines I planted in 1996 on the Crane Vineyard produce merlot with increasingly expressive maturity. Aromas of raspberry bread pudding, mint and mocha aromas are well complemented with spice. The fruit is powerful with layered flavors of black cherry, blueberry compote and dried pomegranate edged with baking spices, blue flowers and cocoa. Displaying notable structure, the tannins soften to round edges on the palate, giving way to a silky finish. The 2018 vintage is a beautiful balance of energy and elegance."
