Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThis broad-shouldered, silky red blended with 25% Merlot shows cedar and plum within a graceful frame. Aged 22 months in 50% new French oak, it projects greatness with notes of espresso and cocoa. The terroir shines through and the texture is meaty yet distinctly refined.
Volker Eisele Family Estate creates enticing wines from the Napa Valley. Organically farmed since 1974, the Estate produces wines of uncommon balance and finesse. All fruit for our limited production wine is grown in our Chiles Valley District vineyard. The elevation and northwesterly Pacific winds funneling through the valley, create a longer cooler growing season. This combination of factors yield aromatic, crisp fruit with bright acidity and structed tannins. Our decades of experience in farming one vineyard means the quality of our wine is consistent year in, year out.
Our winemakers’ philosophy is, “To use a light hand in crafting varietally-correct wines that make the taster think about where they were grown, and not who made them.
~ Molly Lippitt, Winemaker
Nestled in the Vaca Mountains on the northeast side of Napa Valley, Chiles Valley is one of the cooler Napa subregions with vineyards at about 600 to 1,200 feet in elevation. The region is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon blanc.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.