Chappellet Mountain Cuvee

Wine Statistics
Harvested Aug. 31 Oct. 23, 2015
23.0° 28.0° Brix at Harvest
14.5% Alcohol
TA 0.61g/100ml
pH 3.68
Wine Blend
37% Merlot
34% Cabernet Sauvignon
11% Malbec
11% Petit Verdot
7% Cabernet Franc
CHAPPELLET
2015 Mountain Cuvée
Proprietors Blend

The Wine
Blended from the traditional Bordeaux varietals, including our own
coveted grapes, the Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Proprietors Blend builds
on our five decades of experience crafting great Napa County mountaingrown
wines. Each component varietal in the cuvée contributes nuances
that complement each other. The result is a complex array of aromas and
flavors that deliver pure pleasure in a glass. Made for more near-term
enjoyment, this is the wine to choose when youre looking for vivid,
mouthfilling fruit flavors.
Growing Season & Harvest
While the 2015 growing season delivered grapes of exceptional quality, it
was a vintage that was light on quantity. With another warm, dry spring,
the growing season got off to a fast start. Unfortunately, cold weather
during flowering resulted in a significant amount of shatter, resulting
in light clusters. Knowing that yields would be down, we tailored our
farming to ensure that we brought out the very best from the small crop.
This included methods designed to create homogenous ripening, as well
as techniques that limited canopy growth, while providing ideal dappled
sunlight on the ripening fruit. A lovely temperate summer allowed
the grapes to ripen slowly, while an unhurried harvest ensured that
everything was picked at the perfect stage of development, with pristine
grapes showing beautiful color, density and depth.
Tasting Notes
This inviting wine offers a complex array of elegant aromas that include
spicy red fruit, black cherry, sage, anise, clove and cocoa powder. The
palate is silky and balanced, with a plush, mouthcoating texture that
makes the wine immediately approachable and delicious. Flavors of red
currant and cassis are underscored by hints of smoke and vanilla, while
seamlessly integrated tannins add length and structure to this complex
blend of Bordeaux varietals.

Region Description

This tiny strip of land just north of San Francisco is home to America’s most prestigious wineries. Its climate is ideal for viticulture. Ironically, it was deemed too ideal for some vintners, who have moved their vineyards from the valley’s flat plain to the hills in the east and west, adhering to the idea that grapes that struggle to grow yield better wine. The climate, soil, and individual wineries are enormously varied, so it’s impossible to identify a singular trait of Napa wines. In addition, nearly every noble grape is grown here, although Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the primary grapes. In the past, Napa’s wines have alternated between extremely fruity and fat to lean and subtle. Today the best Napa wines have achieved a balance between these extremes. Many are made to be drunk young and have abundant ripe fruit; others can be initially hard and tannic, but soften over four or five years to perfumed, cedary fruit. White Napa wines are excellent with fresh-grilled fish and chicken, but can also cope with more spicy and creamy flavors. Many Napa reds will overwhelm delicate cuisine, but rich red meat and cheeses do make good companions.