Wines

Minasa ‘Ventum Maris’

2018 LOS CARNEROS PINOT NOIR

TASTING NOTES

From the rolling hills of Carneros comes this seductive offering that channels everything we’ve come to love about this appellation. An intoxicating nose of dried strawberries, black tea, orange peel, mocha and earthy mushrooms lead into a refined palate of vibrant cherries, black plums, warm stones, cedar and baking spice. Accents of saline and minerality are framed by fine-grained tannins showcasing the pedigree of the fruit and the attention to detail in the cellar.

$85.00 / 750ml

Minasa ‘Riven Granite Reserve’

2016 NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON

VINTAGE

2016 was the 6^th vintage in a row during the drought, with a rain pattern slightly different than the prior vintage. The springtime morning temperature, especially during bloom, was higher than the previous vintage, and consequently the fruit set was abundant. The summer was warm with cool mornings. In Mid-September, we experienced a heat spike which is normal for California. Our 2016 Cabernet is a blend of two Napa Valley vineyards. Both vineyards were hand harvested: the first at the end of September and the second, in south Napa, in mid-October.

WINEMAKING

The grapes were de-stemmed, crushed, cold macerated for 18 hours and the cap was punched down throughout fermentation to extract the desired deep flavors. The ‘Riven Granite Reserve’ was then pressed into barrels for malolactic fermentation and aged for 20 months in French oak, with six barrels produced.

TASTING NOTES

Our 2016 ‘Riven Granite Reserve” comes from three different Napa Valley vineyards; a beautiful hillside vineyard, a high density planted vineyard in Napa, and an iconic vineyard in Rutherford. The wine has a dark, deep inly color with a highly aromatic bright nose featuring rich, dark fruit, black cherry cola, with a touch of vanilla and cedar. The palate is soft and dense with round, balanced, and polished tannins, with a long finish of Bing cherry. While this wine drinks beautifully now, it will continue to improve for many years to come.

$88.00 / 750ml

Minasa ‘Torn Asunder Family Reserve’

2017 RUTHERFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON

VINTAGE

2017 was another demanding growing season; Rutherford was beset with a low rainfall for the 4^th year in a row, with a limited precipitation in the winter. Bud break was early but the canopy growth was slow due to the drought. Summer was seamless and in September, we experienced traditional heat spikes which added to rapid ripening. We hand harvested our Cabernet Sauvignon in the early morning from late September thru early October.

WINEMAKING

The Cabernet grapes were de-stemmed, crushed, cold macerated for 13 hours and we pumped over the cap throughout fermentation to delicately pull the nuances achieving a more extracted style. The ‘Torn Asunder Family Reserve’ is our finest creation to date. We produced only 8 barrels of this Cabernet.

TASTING NOTES

The fruit for our 2017 ‘Torn Asunder Family Reserve’ came from a small, family owned, Rutherford site as well as hillside vineyards in south Napa Valley. The wine has an impressive dark color and an aromatic richness that expresses a core of warm blackberries, cassis, and scorched earth. The mouthfeel is rich and dense with round and balanced tannins, with blackberry liqueur, full-bodied opulence, stunning purity, and a long finish. While this wine drinks well right now, it will continue to improve over the next 5-8 years.

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