2001 Vinalia (Nebbiolo)
The vineyard around Mike Richmond's house in the Carneros forms the base of this wine. Partners Larry Brooks and Mike planted this in 1990 with the goal of making Barolo class wines in Napa. They have largely succeeded. When tasted blind against Barolos this wine is true to type and quality. The vintage was a good one for late varietals like Nebbiolo. The tannins are a bit softer than usual, still grippy, just a bit rounder than typical.
We are quite old fashioned in our winemaking. Nothing fancy, we get the fruit as ripe as possible. The vatting is on the short side, and it then spends two full years in older well seasoned barrels. With Nebbiolo there's no getting around aging. You need a lot of time in both barrel and bottle to make a delecious drink.
This wine is old fashioned as well. By this we mean that it will bring the most enjoyment when drunk with rich foods. it is not a wine for casual sipping before dinner. Better to grill some veal chops, make some carbonara sauce for the pasta, grate some Parmasan and get at it! This wine has the perfect textures and flavors for Italian cuisine.
Vinalia (Nebbiolo) Wine Information
Our Vinalia (Nebbiolo) is a Napa Valley wine that resembles a classical Italian hillside wine like Barolo. We ferment with yeast used in Italy and age the wine in double barrels so it can mature for two years while keeping it's freshness. We restrict the use of new oak as it can hide the perfume and spice notes from the fruit. The wine receives at least two years of bottle age prior to release.