AQUIRE
“This syrah is literally one of my favorite wines on the planet”
— Head of Sales at one of Napa Valley’s most significant wineries.
“Bramble, pepper, just a perfect expression of California Syrah. Hope I can find some more.”
— Ryan Gallentine
“The estate red needs to be on our list”
— Jonny Barr, owner, Molti Amici
“THE BOTTLE WAS DELICIOUS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW WE can ACQUiRE.”
— Chistophe Tassan, Wine Director, The Battery Club of San Francisco
2020 MEWS ESTATE RED
This is the first bottling of the new Chalk Hill vineyard, planted in 2018. By 2020, the fruit was coming in very nicely, so we bottled this, just the 3rd leafing of the the vineyard. The Cab Franc and Merlot came in faster than the Cabernet Sauvignon, so this 2020 blend will likely lean more towards the Merlot/Franc side. It is a stunning work of our winemaker, Chris Taddei, who took the fruit by the hand and brought it into a beautiful expression of this single vineyard Bordeaux Blend. The harvest was ripe, so the wine is big, but oh so approachable with long tannins and a beautiful structure to hold together the beautiful fruit.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
The 2020 Mews Estate Red balances fruit and earth characteristics as only grapes from the Chalk Hill AVA can. This vintage is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Franc.
Harvested at a ripe 26 brix, the fruit was berry sorted, cold soaked, and saigneed for greater proportion of skins relative to juice for richer wine with more color and tannin. Aged 24 months on French and Hungarian oak, the result is a wine with firm yet forgiving tannins, providing a feel that is at once plush and well structured. Lovely dark fruits, a pleasing bit of tar, pencil lead, and lilac.
2020 MEWS SYRAH
2020 was a small production year, but the quality is outstanding. This vineyard has been in production for over a decade now, formerly bottled as Chez Villa Casa for friends and family only. It’s just not like other Syrahs. It’s big and comforting. A blackberry compote with notes of tar, dried dark fruit, earth, tobacco, a hint of anise.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
The 2020 Mews Moon Mountain Syrah shows layers of ripe, spicy fruit, coupled with brooding and gamey notes. It is the Moon Mountain District that can singularly deliver the two distinct personalities of both mild and warmer climates, similar to the famed Cote-Rotie of the Northern Rhone Valley in France.
Harvested at the peak of physiological maturity, the Syrah fruit is berry sorted, saigneed for concentration and balance, cold soaked and barrel aged for twenty four months on French and Hungarian barrels. The result is a wine that is dark, complex, delicious; both approachable and ageworthy.