Release: January 2012; 487 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 62% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot
Vineyards:
Both the Cabernet Franc and Merlot come from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga.
Wine Making:
As a vintage, 2006 was nicely measured with normal-plus rain in the winter and even summer and fall temperatures for ripening. Fermentation and maceration totaled 20 days for the Cabernet Franc and 18 days for the Merlot. This wine was aged for 22 months in 70% new French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas lean towards raspberry, violet, sandalwood, brown sugar, with a hint of forest floor. The initial impact and intensity of flavors in the mouth is excellent and the finish builds to an impressive concentration of extract.
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Release: August 2010; 292 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot
Vineyards:
Both the Cabernet Franc and Merlot come from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga.
Wine Making:
Vines looked very good across the board in the 2005 growing season. Good, steady rains in winter and early spring set up a good profile of available water in the soil. The temperatures were moderate and steady as well. The weather stayed dry through October.
The Merlot and the Cabernet Franc were picked in the third week of September. They fermented together and saw a total of 24 days maceration on the skins before pressing to 70% new French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Loads of blueberry and violet for this wine, along with fresh soft cheese, a bit of blackcurrant, caramel and vanilla. The mouth is very focused with very good concentration of flavor and texture throughout and a strong finish.
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Release: January 2013; 190 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
The vineyard is located in the Coombsville area of Napa. Just under three acres are planted on soils that range from sandy loam to gravelly and even cobbly loams, with clone 8 Cabernet Sauvignon on St. George.
Wine Making:
2009 brought Napa rain both late in the spring and early in the fall; not exactly what winemakers wish for. However, the spring rains did keep us from experiencing our third year of drought and did not affect bloom negatively at Dead Fred. The vines enjoyed a very nice summer and early fall, which made for a nice maturation for the fruit. This allowed ample ripeness and harvesting before mid-October rain. The resulting wine was aged in 90% new French oak and bottled in April 2011.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine coffee beans roasting deeply over an oak wood fire, just slightly smoky, with dark chocolate, and raspberry syrup. Those flavors, along with a rich dark caramel, are also present in the mouth with very good intensity. The tannins are bold but with a quite fine texture, and linger long on the palate with the flavors.
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Release: May 2008; 710 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 60% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
Both the Cabernet Franc and Merlot come from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Block C-1 at the Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa.
Wine Making:
Napa enjoyed an early, warm spring in 2004. Consistently moderate weather in March and April set the table for a fine growing season. When the vintage goes well from bud break to bloom it creates tremendous momentum for a fine vintage, even if the later part of the year is more difficult. In 2004, the summer and fall weather only added to the momentum of the vintage, with no excesses of heat or cold..
For this vintage of Chesler, I co-fermented the Cabernet Franc and Merlot together. I believe that is one of the things that makes this wine so seamless. Because the two varieties are usually harvested at different times, it's not often we get the chance to co-ferment them. The Cabernet Sauvignon from Stagecoach came in 4 weeks later than the Franc and Merlot from Frediani, so it did not get to join the party; however, the 18% of Cab in this blend does impart a wonderful deep blackberry to the flavor profile of the wine.
Tasting Notes:
Blackberries and blueberries; sweet, exotic spice, caramel, toasted vanilla, a floral violet character. Excellent initial impact in the mouth; very intense and long flavors with a sappy, rich texture that is full, but seamless.
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Release: February 2006; 612 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 84% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
Both the Cabernet Franc and Merlot come from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Block C-1 at the Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa.
Wine Making:
2003 had a cool and wet spring. Early season vine growth fell behind, setting the stage for a slightly later harvest and keeping crop size on the small side. Summer and fall provided more of a textbook Napa Valley weather pattern, giving the vines the chance to fully ripen their grapes.
This vintage of Chesler has more Cabernet Franc and a nice chunk of Merlot in the blend compared to the 2002 wine. Both the Franc and the Merlot were particularly strong wines in 2003 because crops were very small and the growing season was mild and even. The two varieties complimented each other well and presented very focused aromas and flavors with the addition of just a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon to the blend. I think you will find the same powerfully aromatic style in the 2003 that was so fetching in the 2002 wine.
Tasting Notes:
Violets, raspberries, blackberries, and plum; dark chocolate, sandalwood, caramel, toasted vanilla, very slight mint. A big mouthful with some impact; intense, long flavors with a chewy density to the extract.
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Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12 and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
Wow, this is the 20th vintage of Selene Sauvignon Blanc from Hyde Vineyards! Needless to say time goes by fast and it seems like just yesterday, but that's another story. We had a good amount of rainfall in the late winter along with a tad over 2 inches in both May and June. Add an unusually comfortable summer for humans; a little cooler than the grapevines like. It all adds up to the second year in a row that we pick in October. In general the more extended the season is for Sauvignon Blanc, the better, given no sugar spikes from hot weather and no rain during harvest, which was certainly the case with this 2011.
Fermentation:
Grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice transferred into both new French oak (20%) and stainless steel barrels (80%) for fermentation. We repeated the "sequential fermentation" technique we experimented with last year, this time on the whole lot. Basically, we get the fermentation started with one yeast and finish with another, optimizing flavor, complexity, and texture. The wine remained in barrel on primary lees until late February when it was racked and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Intense and distinctive, aromatics include pineapple, green mango, guava, white nectarine, honeydew melon, lemon curd, orange liquor, white pepper, sandalwood, rose water, and beeswax. Savory and mouthwatering, with a concentrated, long finish.
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Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12 and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
One of the more perfect vintages for Sauvignon Blanc. It was a summer on the cooler side of average. With few spells of particularly hot or cold temps; a moderate size crop; and an autumn featuring slow, even ripening weather that allowed a rare October pick. Some of the most flavorful and intense grapes I can remember.
Fermentation:
Grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice transferred into both new French oak (24%) and stainless steel barrels (76%) for fermentation. A new "sequential fermentation" technique was used on about 40% of the blend to optimize flavor, intensity, and texture. The wine remained in barrel on primary lees until late February when it was racked and bottled. There were no acid additions and no malolactic fermentation.
Tasting Notes:
Tangerine, cantaloupe, white nectarine, green mango, honeysuckle, beeswax, cardamom, and chrysanthemum. Mouthwatering, intense, viscous, and long. Yum.
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Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12 and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
Late spring rains kept 2009 from being the third bad drought year in California. While still a bit under normal rainfall, it could have been worse. Summer had good heat with less heat spikes over 100 degrees than we sometimes see in Napa. We picked in early September.
Fermentation:
Grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice transferred into both new French oak (30%) and stainless steel barrels (70%) for fermentation. The wine remained in barrel on primary lees, gaining complexity, until March, when it was racked and bottled. There were no acid additions and no malolactic fermentation.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas are complex, with pineapple, apricot, peach, fig, honeysuckle, bees wax, lemon cream, mineral, slight nutmeg, and vanilla. All this developed fruit translates very well on the palate with a fine balance between good acidity and rich viscosity.
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Release: July 2012; 300 cases
Varietal Composition: 100% Merlot
Vineyard:
Frediani Family Vineyard, Calistoga
Wine Making:
2010 was a cool, late starting vintage. Picture this: winemakers with nothing to do in September (besides those who make sparkling wine of course). As we are a nervous bunch, we winemakers know it's not a simple waiting game either. The days keep getting shorter and the probability of rain gets bigger as the vintage goes on. A good measure of patience plus a large pinch of proactivity was in order. That, along with good luck, produced a particularly complex wine. Aged for 18 months in 40% new French barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Toasted vanilla pods, molasses and caramel, floral jasmine, red raspberry, black pepper, anise, tar, cocoa butter, chocolate, roasted coffee beans, plum and blueberry. Aromatics are nicely mirrored in the mouth with very good concentration and length; texture is smooth yet weighty with a structured tannin profile.
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Release:January 2012; 118 cases
Varietal Composition: 100% Merlot
Vineyard:
Frediani Family Vineyard, Calistoga
Vintage:
2009 late spring rains brought good news and bad news. Good news, the third year of drought won't be as bad as it could have been. Bad news, fruit set in Merlot was very low, less than 1.5 tons/acre, with sad looking little clusters that were mostly stems with just a few berries here and there.
Wine Making:
Double sorting at the crusher kept only the healthy berries and excluded the rest, including any stem "jacks'. Mia chose an open-top fermentor and punch down cap management to beef up the extraction just a tad, then aged it for 18 months in 40% new French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Raspberry/blackberry, buttery strawberry shortcake, dark chocolate and coffee, sweet nutmeg and cinnamon spice, cedar, orange liquor, slight mincemeat. In the mouth the wine has very good impact and length of flavors. Tannins are impressive in depth and quality; this one could easily age for more than a decade.
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Release: August 2010; 378 cases
Varietal Composition: 100% Merlot
Vineyard:
Frediani Family Vineyard, Calistoga
Vintage:
This vintage is all older vine, dry-farmed Merlot from the J-Block. 2008 was our second consecutive drought year, and one of Napa Valley's most difficult frost years in recent memory. Although the Frediani Vineyard Merlot escaped frost damage, uneven weather during bloom led to a very low crop. Summer was relatively cool, as was harvest, with only three periods of heat with temperatures around 90 degrees from late August through September.
Tasting Notes:
The nose features boysenberry pie with a buttery crust, raspberry, brown sugar, caramel, chocolate ganache, coffee, and sandalwood. There is very good impact and intensity on the palate; this Merlot is even-tempered, with balanced tannins and acid, finishing with fine texture and length.
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Release: November 2009; 270 cases
Varietal Composition: 95% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc
Vineyard:
Frediani Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc and Merlot, Calistoga
Wine Making:
Selene has two blocks of Merlot at Frediani Family Vineyard. For this vintage, we used the dry-farmed Merlot from the J-Block plus a little Cabernet Franc. (The 181 Merlot block went to the Chesler blend.) With the character of the wine from the old, dry-farmed Merlot vines, as well as the Franc, we extended the barrel aging of this wine from our normal 15 months to a slightly extended 21 months.
Vintage:
This vintage was our first drought year in a while but the season was otherwise nicely measured, with good weather for bloom, veraison, and ripening.
Tasting Notes:
Blackberry cobbler, with the berries, brown sugar, and vanilla all standing out, along with molasses, blackberry leaf, sandalwood incense, and fine Serrano ham. Loads of impact and concentration in the mouth with big, yet fine, texture and a lengthy finish.
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Varietal Composition:
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard:
Dead Fred Vineyard, Coombsville
Vintage:
In 2008 we had our second year of drought and the worst spring frosts since the ‘70’s. Dead Fred Vineyard suffered about 20% frost damage. Definitely a stressful vintage for the vines. In fact, a portion of the vineyard did not mature enough to make the best red wine. That portion was nearly perfect rose material, with less sugar, more malic acid, and lower tannin and color.
Fermentation:
Grapes were crushed and left to soak overnight to pick up some color, a bit of tannin, and the rich character that only a purpose made rose can attain. Pressing was very gentle to maintain the perfect balance achieved by the skin contact. The juice was fermented in stainless steel barrels with a slow-fermenting yeast that took four weeks to reach dryness. Lees were stirred weekly. The wine was bottled in the beginning of February.
Tasting Notes:
Alpine strawberries, pomegranate, slight kiwi, and white chocolate in the nose. Rhubarb joins those flavors on the palate, with exceptional intensity, length, and richness. This is a rose you won’t soon forget.
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Release: January 2012; 148 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
The vineyard is located in the Coombsville area of Napa. Just under three acres are planted on soils that range from sandy loam to gravelly and even cobbly loams, with clone 8 Cabernet Sauvignon on St. George.
Wine Making:
In 2008 we had our second year of drought and the worst spring frosts since the '70's. Dead Fred Vineyard suffered about 20% frost damage. Grapes were harvested the third week in October. Fermentation and maceration times totaled 20 days. This wine was aged in 90% new French oak until bottling in June of 2010.
Tasting Notes:
Both raspberry and blueberry lead off the aromatics, with sandalwood and sweet spice, espresso, roasted almonds covered with dark chocolate, and finishing with fragrant crushed red rose petals. The mouth has very good initial impact, intensity, texture, and length, with excellent development and integration of flavors.
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Release: August 2010; 380 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
Dead Fred Vineyard. That name always brings a smile to my face. Fred (RIP) was the beloved cat of the vineyard owners, David Goldman and Lisa Cort, and he found his final resting place among the blue oak grove that borders the vineyard. The vineyard is located in the Coombsville area of Napa. Just under three acres are planted on soils that range from sandy loam to gravelly and even cobbly loams, with two clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. Eighty percent is 337 on 110R and the remainder is clone 8 on St. George.
Wine Making:
2007 had some nice weather for vineyards in Napa Valley. Though it was a drought year with about half normal rainfall, it followed the two abundant rain seasons of 2005 and 2006, so the vines fared nicely. Grapes were harvested the third week in October. Fermentation and maceration times totaled 20 days. The wine was aged in 100% new French oak until bottling in June of 2009.
Tasting Notes:
Both raspberry and blueberry lead off the aromatics, with sandalwood and sweet spice, espresso, roasted almonds covered with dark chocolate, and finishing with fragrant crushed red rose petals. The mouth has very good initial impact, intensity, texture, and length, with excellent development and integration of flavors.
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Release: April 2008; 627 cases
Varietal Composition: 100% Merlot
Vineyards:
Frediani Family Vineyard Merlot, Calistoga
Wine Making:
For the 2006 vintage Selene picked up a second block of Merlot from Frediani Vineyard in Calistoga on the Silverado Trail near Pickett Road. While our original block is planted to clone 181 on St. George rootstock, the second block is planted to a selection of Merlot from Jordan grafted on St. George. This block is very well-established, having been planted without irrigation in the 1970's and dry-farmed ever since. Its low-yielding vines bring tremendous depth, concentration, and texture to the wine.
As a vintage, 2006 was nicely measured with normal-plus rain in the winter and even summer and fall temperatures for ripening. Total maceration time was 18 days for the 181-block and 21 days for the J-Merlot block. The wine was aged for 15 months in French oak, 70% new, from the Taransaud and Nadalie cooperages, Center and Nevers forests, respectively.
Tasting Notes:
Violets, raspberry jam, dark chocolate, fresh coffee berry, vanilla, brown sugar, and a hint of earth and bay laurel on the nose. In the mouth the flavors have very good impact, intensity, and length; the texture has some chewy density to carry the flavors from initial impact through the finish.
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Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12 and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
2008 was a season of extremes. California saw its second year of drought, causing dry soils to set the stage for an early budbreak. Then we had the worst frost season in probably 30 years. Although the Hyde Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc was not affected by the frost, uneven weather during bloom led to a very low crop, about 60% of normal. Summer was relatively cool but we did have a spike of heat at the end of August/beginning of September. Larry Hyde called around mid-August to say, "We got some teenagers out here," meaning of course that the Sauvignon Blanc was testing in the teens (in terms of sugar) and it was time to get out there and start sampling myself. It did end up coming in the last week of August, which is early but not as early as, say, 2004. The low yields led to extreme concentration of flavors with excellent acids.
Fermentation:
Grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice transferred into both new French oak (30%) and stainless steel barrels (70%) for fermentation. The wine remained in barrel on primary lees, gaining complexity, until February, when it was racked and bottled. There were no acid additions and no malolactic.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas have lots of concentrated fruit; white peach, nectarine, meyer lemon, asian pear, and honeydew melon, along with vanilla bean crème brulee and sage honey. Flavors in the mouth have very good impact and intensity, mirroring the qualities found in the nose, with a fine acidity and a long, viscous finish.
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Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12 and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
2007.a vintage with half normal rainfall, a good spring, and a warm end to the summer at the end of August and beginning of September. All of Selene's Sauvignon Blanc at Hyde was picked within five days beginning on the last day of August. It came quick, but it came really good.
Fermentation:
Grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice transferred into both new French oak (45%) and stainless steel barrels (55%) for fermentation. The wine remained in barrel on primary lees, gaining complexity, until February, when it was racked and bottled. There were no acid additions and no malolactic.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas begin with peach cobbler, crème brulee, pineapple, and vanilla bean, and move into kiwi, lemon curd, orange liquor, and a light cinnamon toast, complete with butter. It's a rich one for sure with excellent viscosity and length as well as very good intensity and initial impact in the mouth.
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Release: July 2008; 682 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc
Vineyards:
The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Block C-1 at the Stagecoach Vineyard perched high on the southern flank of Pritchard Hill. The Cabernet Franc comes from old vines at the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga.
Wine Making:
Vines looked very good across the board in the 2005 growing season. Steady rains in winter and early spring provided and ample profile of available water in the soil. The temperatures were moderate and consistent as well. The weather stayed dry through October, allowing for long hang times. The Cabernet Franc was picked in the third week of September and the Cabernet Sauvignon on October 30th.
The Cabernet Franc saw 24 days of maceration on the skins before pressing to 70% new French oak barrels. The Cabernet Sauvignon was on skins for 20 days and aged in 85% new French oak. The wine was blended and bottled in late June 2007.
Tasting Notes:
Fresh blackberry, jammy raspberry, dark chocolate truffle, violets, fresh tobacco, graphite, and creamy vanilla. Flavors in the mouth show lots of black fruit, with very good impact and intensity, rounded by full, chewy texture, leading to a long, satisfying finish.
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Release: February 2007; 612 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot
Vineyards:
The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Block C-1 at the Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot come from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga.
Wine Making:
In 2004 Napa enjoyed an early, warm spring. Grapevines like that. Who wouldn't? Beautiful, consistent weather throughout March and April created ideal conditions for an even budbreak and bloom. When everything goes perfectly early in the growing season, the vines gain tremendous momentum, and it becomes more unlikely for things to go wrong even if conditions deteriorate. But nothing did go wrong in 2004; moderate summer and fall weather only added to the momentum of this fine vintage, with no excessive hot or cold spells.
With such perfectly ripened Cabernet Sauvignon, I added only a small amount of Cabernet Franc and Merlot to the blend for this wine. At 97% Stagecoach Cabernet Sauvignon, it could even be a vineyard designate. As with all my wines, blending choices allow me to create wines that are both true to the qualities of a particular vintage and vineyard sources, and to my overall style as a winemaker.
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Tasting Notes:
The 2004 Selene Cabernet Sauvignon offers complex aromas of black currant, raspberry, blueberry and huckleberry, joined by brown sugar, cedar, sandalwood, and cocoa. It's also floral, with sage blossom and old English red rose petals, and a whiff of anise. Flavors in the mouth mirror the aromas with very good impact, intensity, and length. The texture is fine with just enough chewiness and structure to compliment the wine's flavor qualities and intensity.
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Release: February 2006; 465 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot
Vineyards:
The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Block C-1 at the Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot come from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga.
Wine Making:
2003 had a cool and wet spring. Early season vine growth fell behind, setting the stage for a slightly later harvest and keeping crop size on the small side. Summer and fall provided more of a text-book Napa Valley weather pattern, giving the vines the chance to fully ripen their grapes.
You may note that the Cabernet Sauvignon has less Cabernet Franc in the blend for 2003 compared to the 2002 wine. Tasting the wines from barrel while determining the final blend for the 2003 vintage, I found that the aromas, palate and texture of the Cabernet Sauvignon were almost complete, and required only small percentages of Cabernet Franc and Merlot to achieve the sensory profiles I look for in this wine. Blending choices allow me to create wines that are both true to the qualities of a particular vintage and vineyard sources, and to my overall style as a winemaker. No vintage can be a replica of another; it's more like patterns that resonate or not for a given vintage.
Tasting Notes:
Blackberry cobbler, cherry, and raspberry; molasses, caramelized brown sugar, hint of sweet spice and vanilla; dark chocolate and coffee. Mouth-coating, viscous, and velvety; intense flavors true to those found in the aroma; very good length.
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Release: September 2005; 293 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc
Vineyards:
Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Block C-1, Napa, 77%
Frediani Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Calistoga, 23%
Wine Making:
We got great ripeness and intensity from this vintage. For the Cabernet Sauvignon,
Selene's 2.9 acre block at Stagecoach really showed its colors, providing
the syrupy berry component in this wine.
The Franc comes from the Frediani Family Vineyard. The floral aromatics, exotic spice elements, and deep base notes are some of the Cab Franc's contribution to the blend.
Wines of this intensity can take longer to really have it all come together, so we extended the barrel aging to 30 months in order to deliver the fullest flavor and sweetest tannins in the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
This wine's aroma has blackberry jam and syrupy-ripe blueberry, caramel,
and a nice spicy/floral component of cinnamon, sage, jasmine, violet, and
lavender. The mouth has a high-toned entry, reminiscent of the fruits found
in the aroma, with a big, broad, chewy texture and a long, chocolaty finish.
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Release: October 2009; 580 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
Dead Fred Vineyard. That name always brings a smile to
my face. Fred (RIP) was the beloved cat of the vineyard
owners, David Goldman and Lisa Cort, and he found his
final resting place among the blue oak grove that borders the
vineyard. The vineyard is located in the Coombsville area of
Napa. Just under three acres are planted on soils that range
from sandy loam to gravelly and even cobbly loams, with
two clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. Eighty percent is 337 on
110R and the remainder is clone 8 on St. George.
Wine Making:
As a vintage, 2006 was nicely measured with normal-plus
rain in the winter and even summer and fall temperatures
for ripening. Grapes were harvested the third week in
October. Fermentation and maceration times totaled 20
days. Wine was aged in 100% new French oak until bottling
in June of 2008.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas begin with ripe blackberry cobbler, complete with
baked brown sugar topping and a hint of sweet spice. There
is also a syrup-like blueberry note and floral character;
raspberry and mocha complete the profile. The impact and
intensity of flavor in the mouth is exceptional. The texture is
powerful and rich and the flavor lasts long after the first
taste.
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Release: October 2006; 93 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
I wish I could see your face when you first come upon the name "Dead Fred Vineyard." It always makes me smile. The beloved cat of vineyard owners David Goldman and Lisa Cort, Fred found his final resting place beneath the blue oak grove that borders his namesake vineyard, which is located in the Coombsville area of Napa. Just under three acres are planted on soils that range from sandy loam to gravelly and even cobbly loams, with two clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. Eighty percent is 337 on 110R and the remainder is clone 8 on St. George.
Wine Making:
In 2004 I started wearing shorts on a regular basis in February. It was warm, it was early, and it was good, especially in relatively cooler growing regions of Napa like Coombsville. The crop was quite light in general but especially at Dead Fred, where we harvested a little under two tons - for the entire vineyard. I fermented it in small open-top fermentors and we got a beautiful extraction. The wine aged for 20 months in 75% new French oak barrels. It was bottled at the end of June 2006 without fining or filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas begin with syrup-like blueberry notes and floral character; there is also raspberry, mocha, molasses, hazelnut and pecan, and a hint of tarragon and sandalwood. The impact and intensity of flavor in the mouth is exceptional. The texture is powerful and rich and the flavor lasts long after the first taste.
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Release: September 2005; 345 cases (750ml)
Varietal Composition: 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
Frediani Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Calistoga, 70%
Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Block C-1, Napa, 30%
Wine Making:
The 2002 vintage marked the first Cabernet Franc grapes for Selene, sourced
from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga. This great juice contributes,
depth, complexity and texture to our 2002 Merlot, and it also makes a major
statement in the Selene Cabernet Sauvignon from this vintage.
I was keen to have the floral aromatics, exotic spice elements, and deep base notes play a more prominent role in this proprietary red wine I have named Chesler, after my mother.
As with the Cabernet Sauvignon, we extended the barrel aging to 30 months in order to deliver the fullest flavor and sweetest tannins in the bottle from this big, intense vintage.
Tasting Notes:
Sweet floral aromas of violets and honeysuckle mark the entry into the aromas
of this wine, followed by true blackcurrant, very dark chocolate, slight mint,
and vanilla bean. Flavors in the mouth are big, intense, and true to the aromatics.
The tannins are chewy and sweet with a youthful dusty character in the finish.
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Varietal Composition: 100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12
and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since
it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby
San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the
soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes
for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
Ripe Sauvignon Blanc grapes have beautiful, intense flavors. It's both
odd and frustrating that ripe, unfermented Sauvignon Blanc juice is usually
more muted than the flavor straight from the grape. 2003 was one of the two
or three times in a decade when the juice displayed all the quality and intensity
of the grape flavors. This is one of my markers for a very good vintage. This
year's wine comes from three blocks. The oldest block on its own roots
makes up 41%. I waited until nearly October to get it ripe but it was well
worth it. The largest piece (55%) comes from a block planted in '95
with the same musque selection on 1103 Paulsen. The newest block, planted
in 1999, makes up 4% of the blend and is also on 1103. These two blocks were
picked in the second week of September.
Fermentation & Aging:
Grapes are whole-cluster pressed and the juice is transferred into both new
French oak and stainless steel barrels for fermentation. The wine remains
there on primary lees, gaining complexity, until March, when it is racked
and bottled. No acid additions, no malolactic, and no fining. Just that pure
juice flavor straight to the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
The aromas show apricot, nectarine, honeysuckle, tangerine, Meyer lemon, sandalwood
incense, and a nice mineral tone that evolves with time in the glass. The
flavor concentration and intensity come through very clearly in the mouth,
with the wine showing the rich viscosity and good acidity that wine drinkers
have come to expect from Selene Sauvignon Blanc.
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April 2007; 1908 cases (750ml & 375ml)
Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12 and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
2006, even more than 2005, was good year for water. Winter rains lingered well into spring, but the Sauvignon Blanc vines held up very well, and we had a wonderful crop that matured evenly through the summer and early fall. The grapes were harvested in the second and third weeks of September.
Fermentation:
We whole-cluster pressed the grapes and transferred the juice into both new French oak (45%) and stainless steel barrels (55%) for fermentation. The wine remained in barrel on primary lees, gaining complexity, until February, when it was racked and bottled. There were no acid additions and no malolactic. .
Tasting Notes:
Nectarine, pear, honeydew melon, papaya, and pineapple notes are the first aromatics you notice, followed by tangerine and lemon curd. All this developed fruit translates very well on the palate, which is marked by creamy texture and balanced by crisp acidity. The depth, complexity and intensity of the flavors carry through on the long, delicious finish.
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information sheet for this wine (PDF format)
Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12 and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
I have never seen vines look better across the board than during the 2005 growing season. Everything ran late for sure; from bud break, to bloom, to veraison, to harvest, but the vines and their fruit stayed in excellent shape. Steady rains in winter and early spring set up a good profile of available water in the soil. Not too much, not too little. The temperatures were perfectly moderate as well. Not too hot for too long and not too cold for too long. Winemakers worry about late harvests; we never can be sure that a late October rain won't skunk us. But 2005 was beautiful. Sauvignon Blanc was picked in the second and third weeks of September.
Fermentation:
Grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice transferred into both new French oak and stainless steel barrels for fermentation. The wine remained in barrel on primary lees, gaining complexity, until February, when it was racked and bottled. There were no acid additions and no malolactic.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas begin with white peach, pineapple, melon, and tangerine. This 2005 wine also has a very floral, blossomy character about it with pear blossom and honeysuckle tones in particular. The flavor concentration has wonderful intensity and impact in the mouth, with that just right balance between rich viscosity and good acidity.
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Release: May 2003; 1000 cases
Varietal Composition: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard:
This is the eleventh year with Larry Hyde; testament to the dedication and
mutual pursuit of absolute quality from this grower. With such vineyard continuity,
the grapes produce outstanding wines…wines that have clearly shown a
Carneros vineyard signature. This exceptional vineyard management combined
with unique clonal selections have once again put the Selene Sauvignon Blanc
at the varietal forefront.
Vintage:
2002 was a great growing year with no extended heat spikes or rain interruptions.
Additionally, there was a long, cool spell in September that allowed the grapes
to significantly extend their hang time. This additional time on vine keeps
sugar levels in balance resulting in full fruit maturity.
Fermentation & Aging:
Grapes are whole cluster pressed with the juice transferred into both new
French oak and stainless steel barrels for fermentation. Stainless steel barrels
are integral to the evolution of this wine in several ways. First, fermentation
temperatures can closely be controlled for fuller and richer flavors. Additionally,
at 74 gallons, a stainless steel barrel has 14 more gallons of yeast and lees
contact resulting in more intensely textured, lush wines. There is no malolactic
fermentation or fining of this wine.
Tasting Notes:
Beginning with a bright yet light straw color, this wine has aromas of rich
nectarine, key lime and pineapple. Those very flavors come through on the
palate yet even deeper and bolder with additional notes of ripe, cantalope
melon. Very well balanced with good acids, rich viscosity and a long finish.
Release: October 2002; 1000 cases
Varietal Composition: 100% Merlot
Vineyards:
Madrona Ranch, St. Helena 75%
Frediani Family Vineyard, Calistoga 25%
Vintage:
The 2000 vintage was a good one for Merlot from the warmer areas of Napa,
like St. Helena and Calistoga. The weather in these earlier-ripening vineyards
was sunny and dry, and the grapes matured with good flavors, concentration,
and balance. The Frediani Family Vineyard was picked on the 6th of September
and the Madrona Ranch Merlot on the 13th of September.
Fermentation & Aging:
Fruit is destemmed and lightly crushed into small tanks. Slow-fermenting yeast
strains are added and gentle punch downs are the order for the first two days.
At this point, a strong cap has formed and frequent pumpovers take over from
punch downs during the 14 to 18 day fermentation. Total maceration time was
23 to 30 days, with tasting for texture evolution deciding the actual press
day. Malolactic fermentation happens in barrel. The wine spent 16 months in
oak, all French, 70% new.
Tasting Notes:
Raspberry jam, fresh blackberry, chocolate, coffee, tobacco, and slight hints
of orange peel are some of the aromas you'll find. These flavors are
true in the mouth as well, with good length. The wine has lots of youth and
a fatness to the texture, which makes it enjoyable now. The weight and concentration
of the extract also provide the potential for aging.
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Release: January 2004; 500 cases
Varietal Composition:
91% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards:
Blackbird Vineyard, Oak Knoll, 71%
Frediani Family Vineyard, Calistoga, 20%
Stagecoach Vineyard, Block C-1, 9%
Vintage:
In 2001 Napa Valley enjoyed consistent spring weather, followed by a warm,
dry summer and fall. This gave us an even set and great ripening conditions.
Two of the vineyards in this blend, Blackbird and Frediani, have contributed
to Selene's Napa Merlot over the past few vintages. Blackbird Vineyard,
located in the Oak Knoll district, is planted to clone 3 budwood on 110R rootstock.
Frediani Family Vineyard, located off the Silverado Trail near Pickett Road
in Calistoga, is planted to clone 181 on St. George. Stagecoach is a newcomer
for Selene. It's the first Cabernet Sauvignon in our blend as well as
a new vineyard source. The vineyard has become very popular with Napa vintners
for Bordeaux varieties and Syrah. Surrounded by famous neighbors, it is located
high in the hills east of the Silverado Trail between Yountville and Oakville.
Selene has contracted for block C-1, an eastern-facing hillside at 1300 feet
elevation, planted to clone 337 on 110R. As these vines mature, look for them
to contribute their concentrated fruit and powerful extract to new wines slated
to appear in the Selene Portfolio.
Winemaking:
Fruit is destemmed and lightly crushed into small tanks. Slow-fermenting yeast
strains are added and gentle punch downs are the order for the first two days.
At this point, a strong cap has formed and frequent pumpovers take over from
punch downs during the 14 to 18 day fermentation. Total maceration time was
23 to 30 days, with tasting for texture evolution deciding the actual press
day. Malolactic fermentation happens in barrel. The wine spent 16 months in
oak, all French, 70% new.
Tasting Notes:
You will find ripe black plums, fresh raspberry and blueberry syrup in the
nose, along with dark chocolate and spicy jasmine tea. The wine has a rich,
silky texture in the mouth, and its ripe extract provides a long, lingering
finish. It's tasty and very tempting now in its youth, but a decade
of cellaring will reward the patient collector.
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Release: November 2004; 1000 cases (750ml & 375ml)
Varietal Composition: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Vineyards:
Blackbird Vineyard Merlot, Oak Knoll, 55%
Frediani Family Vineyard Merlot, Calistoga, 30%
Frediani Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Calistoga, 15%
Wine Making:
Budbreak came early in 2002, followed by a very warm spring. This resulted
in uneven fruit set, a challenge we met by trading quality for quantity --
aggressively dropping those clusters lagging behind at veraison (when red
grapes turn from green to red). After a variable summer, the growing season
finished with more heat spikes, which can stress the vines and cause them
to ripen before their flavors fully mature. This is when close working relationships
with top growers pay off. With long-term viticultural practices keeping the
vines healthy, longer hang-times are possible, and great wines can be made
under difficult conditions.
2002 marked the first Cabernet Franc for Selene, sourced from the Frediani Family Vineyard in Calistoga. This great juice contributes, depth, complexity and texture to our 2002 Merlot, and it will also make a major statement in two exciting new reds that will debut for Selene from this vintage. The floral aromatics, exotic spice elements, and deep base notes are some of the Cab Franc's contribution to the Merlot blend.
Tasting Notes:
Blueberries, raspberries, violets, dark chocolate, white pepper, sandalwood,
and pomegranate molasses are among the aromas that pop out of the glass. Flavors
in the mouth faithfully echo the aromatics. Weight and extract are among the
most serious of past Selene Merlot vintages ('95 and '97 come
to mind), yet the wine is not tight-fisted when it comes to showing its flavors
and texture.
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information sheet for this wine (PDF format)
Varietal Composition:
100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musque selection)
Vineyard:
Hyde Vineyards is located in the Carneros Region of Napa between Highway 12
and Old Sonoma Road. This is a relatively warm part of the Carneros, since
it's further from the cooling influences of fog and wind from nearby
San Francisco Bay. It also has good elevation above sea level, making the
soils lighter in clay with better drainage. Selene has been sourcing grapes
for this wine from Hyde Vineyards since 1992.
Vintage:
In 2004 Napa enjoyed an early, warm spring. More often than not, vintages
with early, consistently warm springs turn out to be really good ones. In
other words, when you're in shorts for most of March and April, things
are setting up for a very nice vintage. Our Sauvignon Blanc set a particularly
small crop and we began picking ripe, concentrated Sauvignon Blanc from the
two 1103 Paulsen Blocks in late August. We finished up with the Own-Rooted
Block in early September.
Fermentation:
Grapes are whole-cluster pressed and the juice is transferred into both new
French oak and stainless steel barrels for fermentation. The wine remains
there on primary lees, gaining complexity, until March, when it is racked
and bottled. We make no acid additions and the wines undergo no malolactic.
Just that pure juice flavor straight to the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
This vintage definitely has a stone fruit bent to it, with lots of apricot,
nectarine, and peach. The aromas also show ripe pear and Granny Smith apple,
along with the usual suspects, honeysuckle, and stony mineral character that
evolve with time in the glass. The flavor concentration and intensity come
through very clearly in the mouth, with the wine showing the rich viscosity
and good acidity that wine drinkers have come to expect from Selene Sauvignon
Blanc.
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Release: April 2007; 292 cases
Varietal Composition: 83% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc
Vineyards:
Frediani Family Vineyard Merlot, Calistoga, 83%
Frediani Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Calistoga, 17%
Wine Making:
2005 marked the return of Merlot to the Selene line up. In previous vintages, grapes from a single block of Frediani Vineyard, located on Picket Road in Calistoga, have contributed to the blend. But now this block's low-yielding vines, planted on rocky, well-drained soil, have come into their prime and deserve a vineyard-designated wine. Vines looked very good across the board in the 2005 growing season. Steady rains in winter and early spring set up a good profile of available water in the soil. Temperatures were consistent and moderate, and autumn rains held off through October. Both the Merlot and Cabernet Franc were picked in the third week of September.
Total maceration time was 15 days for the Merlot and 24 days for the Franc. The wine was aged for 15 months in French oak, 70% new, from the Taransaud and Nadalie cooperages, Center and Nevers forests, respectively.
Tasting Notes:
This wine offers aromas of black cherry, boysenberry, blueberry, and blackcurrant fruits, leading to earthy dark chocolate, rose petal floral, exotic sweet spice. The fruit comes through with immediate impact and intensity in the mouth; the texture is fine and chewy with soft tannins; the ultra-long finish invites another sip. The wine is delicious now, but if you can manage to resist temptation it will age nicely for 6-10 years.
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