ELLMAN Napa Valley
Compliments of Gary Swiggett
Enjoy this special offering courtesy of our good friend and "Mayor of Napa Valley", Gary Swiggett!
Please use the promo code GARYSWIG at checkout to recieve 40% off your order.
Please curate your selection below
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$125.00 each$0.002023 Caryn Renae Sauvignon Blanc
In the eastern reaches of our estate vineyard near Soda Canyon, a small creek has formed a lovely alluvial deposit over the course of millennia. It is in this part of the property where we planted white grapes, as they are perfectly matched to these soils. The grapes are harvested when they are high in acidity but relatively low in potential alcohol. The juice is pressed whole-cluster and fermented in a combination of new, neutral, and stainless steel barrels. This technique, as well as aging on the lees for several months, gives the wine a highly expressive character while adding weight and length.
Our newest vintage of Sauvignon Blanc is an explosion of citrus aromas and flavors from the get-go. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Musquée, the wine is full of energy, crisp acidity, and bright fruit and floral aromas. 2023 was a very interesting growing season. Coming on the heels of several drought years, this vintage started with near record-breaking rainfall in the winter and a cool spring, which led to a relatively late start to the growing season. Once they got going, the vines were able to grow strong canopies and developed quite a generous crop. The summer continued in this cool trajectory, meaning that the grapes developed slowly, retained a remarkable amount of natural acidity, and hung on the vine well into the fall. We were blessed with an autumn full of sunshine, and even though we harvested later than usual, the grapes arrived at the winery in beautiful condition. The 2023 Caryn Renae, just bottled, shows fragrant notes of grapefruit, Meyer lemon, kumquat, and verbena. Indeed, the citrus descriptors just keep coming. On the palate, the acid rides high on the flavor profile, with a subtle saline note, like ocean air on a summer day. This wine will surely bring happiness to the table, or to the poolside, or wherever it is enjoyed.
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$150.00 each$0.002021 Brothers Blend Proprietary Red Blend
86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot (Ellman Estate Vineyard)
The 2021 Brothers Blend is dark, dense, and aromatic, with rounded tannins and great length. It shows notes of cassis, dark chocolate, black cherry, and baking spices. It is quite broad and expansive on the palate, and the finish is smooth and lengthy. While this wine is intended to be enjoyed early in its life, it will certainly age for many years to come in the cellar, and those who wait will be rewarded with added layers of complexity and a softer, more polished texture. The 2021 growing season was interesting and enjoyable. An early spring with very little rain led to vines that were balanced and healthy,. Warm temperatures in the summer meant accelerated phenolic development in the fruit, and a condensed growing season. Organic farming and thoughtful handwork in the vineyard helped to add life to the vineyard. Harvesting in early September, we were able to capture both the freshness and the richness of the fruit as the small berries were packed with structure and tannin.
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$250.00 each$0.002021 Jemma Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2021 Jemma successfully captures the best of the vintage, which indeed was a warm California summer with plenty of heat and sunshine. The wine is bold, juicy, and intensely flavored with a silky, but structured texture. The color is black-purple, as is the flavor profile, with the driving forces being notes of blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate. Just below the surface, however, come the complexities brought by the Cabernet Franc: licorice, cardamom, and dried flowers. This is a serious wine that will age for many years to come, but its rounded tannins make it perfectly enjoyable in its youth. For those who can wait, dividends will be paid in terms of added aromatic flavors and continued polishing of the tannins. Those who don't have the patience to wait, will be surprised and delighted by the purity of the fruit and the generosity the wine shows now.
