Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Kongsgaard also makes an amazing Syrah from a clone he obviously knows a lot about, because it does remind one of a great Côte-Rôtie such as Guigal’s La Landonne. Both the 2014 and 2013 are just loaded with notes of beef blood, grilled steak, raw beef, chocolate, asphalt, truffle and black olive tapenade. The 2013 has even more body and richness, and is a dead ringer for a great Côte-Rôtie from Guigal, especially one with no Viognier in it. It is pure meat, blood and black fruits. Drink it over the next 15-20 years, although I found it irresistible when I tasted it.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.