Cathiard Vineyard 2020

Le millésime 2020 en Napa Valley

Repère du millésime : 80/100 (repère d’appellation, pas la note de ce vin)

Caractère du millésime : Les incendies du Glass Fire ont frappé en pleine récolte : beaucoup de domaines n'ont pas mis en bouteille.

Lecture d’ensemble de l’année sur Napa Valley. Un domaine s’en écarte — franchement, sur les années de gel ou de grêle, où deux voisins n’ont pas fait le même millésime. Ce que ce vin-là a donné se lit sur sa fiche technique et dans les notes ci-dessus.

Dégustation

This is a great wine to come out of the gate for the Cathiard's new property, gorgeously balanced, expands through the mid-palate, delivers dark chocolate, charcoal, blackcurrant, damson, spiced greengage plum and pomegranate fruits with floral undertones. Feels fresher in many ways than the Founding Brothers, without sacrificing concentration and clarity, because the mouthwatering acidity is more apparent, giving it a luscious sign-off. This is largely from the Up and Down vineyard plot, where much of the oldest vine stock is concentrated. Justine Labbé winemaker, Frederick Ammons consultant.

Chiffres de la fiche 2020

• 14,1 % vol.Alcool
• 30 hl/haRendement
• 35 ansÂge des vignes

Vinification

We harvested plot by plot, carefully sorting the grapes (using an optical sorting machine to remove potentially defective berries), and vinified each parcel separately with gentle, low-temperature extractions and long macerations.

Élevage

18 months barrel-ageing, 80% new oak + some special vats.

Terroir

All of these improvements in the vineyard have been met with some pleasant surprises and with very distinctive expressions of certain parcels. "Up and Down", the highest hillside parcel, has a tannic profile, firm, tense and fresh, while "Backbone", located on sedimentary soil, offers a more fleshy and unctuous profile, allowing for wonderful blends.