Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Elevage is reflective of the year it was born. A rainy winter followed by warm and dry spring and summer gifted Chimney Rock with tiny berries and beautiful concentration. The result is a wine of depth and balance, power and grace. This symphonic blend of three grapes assures us that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. We hope you enjoy the beautiful notes of this wine.
Deep red with a purple hue. Aromas of bright cherry, cocoa and mocha. Undertones of caramel and vanilla and crushed flowers add layers of complexity to this rich blend. The front palate of this wine is rich and deeply textured. The mid palate is round and supple with a long, balanced finish.
Blend: 73% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon,11% Petit Verdot
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesDriven by 73% Merlot, this blend also incorporates 16% Petit Verdot and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. The resulting combination is a whirlwind of iron, rock and intensely concentrated, youthful tannins. It shows a subtle core of black currant and cherry.
Lots of ripe fruit that verges on prunes, but comes through with blackberries and black cherries on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with lots of chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs time to soften, because it is a little rustic now. Try after 2022.
Situated on the famed Silverado Trail in Napa Valley's renowned Stags Leap District, Chimney Rock is recognized as one of the world's premier fine wine producers. Chimney Rock was established in 1984 with the goal of creating wines that would compete against the best Bordeaux. The estate's location in the Stags Leap District, Napa Valley's smallest and most acclaimed sub-appellation, allows winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna to capture this unique terroir and create wines that rival the most important wines of the world. Chimney Rock is a Terlato Family winery and embodies the family's dedication to producing wines of exceptional quality.
Legend has it that quick and nimble stags would escape the indigenous hunters of southern Napa Valley through the landmark palisades that sit just northeast of the current city of Napa. As a result, the area was given the name, Stags Leap. While its grape-growing history dates back to the mid-1800s, winemaking didn’t really take off until the mid-1970s after a small but pivotal blind tasting called the Judgement of Paris.
When a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon won first place against its high-profile Bordeaux contenders, like Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion, international attention to the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley escalated rapidly.
The vineyards in this one-of-a-kind wine growing region receive hot afternoon air reflecting off of its eastern palisade formation. In combination with the cool evening breezes from the San Pablo Bay just south, this becomes an optimal environment for grape growing. While many varieties could thrive here, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate with virtually no others, save for a spot or two of Syrah.
Stags Leap soils—eroded volcanic and old river sediments—encourage well established root systems and result in complex, terroir-driven wines. Stags Leap District reds have a distinct sour cherry and black berry character with baking spice and dried earth aromas, and supple tannins.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.