Coquerel Wines Verdelho 2010
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Years ago, while visiting the Napa Valley, they decided the time was right to make their own wines. Coquerel was born. (The name Coquerel is an archaic French derivation of their family name - Cockerell.)
In 2005, they purchased a vineyard in Calistoga planted to old-vine, dry-farmed Sauvignon Blanc. In 2008 they acquired the adjacent site that was planted to a handful of traditional varieties rarely found in modern-day Napa. Since then they have revamped, replanted and upgraded their property to luxury-class winegrowing standards.
Conquerel's estate “Walnut Wash” vineyard sits in the afternoon shadows of the Mayacamas Mountains at the north end of Napa Valley in the Calistoga AVA. The site is warm and protected and features a mix of deep clay and stony soils. There are currently seven acres planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho, Petite Sirah and Tempranillo. In 2014 they added four acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. Under the guidance of winemaker Christine Barbe, this vineyard is intensely farmed for low yields and high quality. The unique conditions and favorable terroir produces exceptional fruit each vintage.
On the winemaking front, Christine has had a dramatic impact on the quality and style of Coquerel’s wines. All of their bottlings are handmade in small lots to ensure character and authenticity. The whites are bright, crisp, elegant and well structured. The reds are intense, aromatic, harmonious and lush. Complexity, concentration, balance and minerality are the hallmarks of Conquerel's wines.
While capable of making a delightful Portugeuse dry white wine, great as an aperitif and for pairing with raw fish and oysters, Verdelho is also a major grape in the production of Madeira. While many less expensive Madeira wines can be blends of different years or grapes, including Verdelho, single-varietal Madeira represent the highest quality versions that also have long aging capacities. Sercial, Boal, Malmsey and Verdelho are the best Madeira grapes. Of the four, Verdelho is the most concentrated and smoky. It is dry, intense, spicy and is flexible in food pairings. Somm Secret—Like many other fortified wines, Madeira made of Verdelho can tolerate extreme aging and some rare bottles can still be found from the late 19th/early 20th century.
One of Napa Valley’s oldest wine growing subregions but last to gain appellation status, Calistoga occupies the northernmost section of the valley. Beginning at the foot of Mount St. Helena, its vineyards stretch over steep canyons and roll out onto the valley floor. The soils in Calistoga are volcanic, which means they are heavy in minerals, low in organic matter and allow good drainage for vine roots, creating less green growth and more concentration of flavor within the grape berries.
Summer days are very hot but most nights cool down with moist ocean breezes sneaking in over the Mayacamas Mountains or from Knights Valley to its northwest.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the area’s star variety with Zinfandel coming in a strong second, though the latter commands far less price per tonnage so continues to be outshined by Cabernet in vineyard acreage, save for some important exceptions.