2016 THE MASCOT NAPA VALLEY - 6x75cl

Tasting Notes

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  Goedhuis, September 2021

  Deep ruby purple in colour. The 2016 has enormous presence in the glass and dark smouldering fruits grab your attention immediately. It is brooding with power and expressive fruit complexity: dark plum, blackcurrant, herbs, cedar, Chinese tea and dark Morello cherry fan out into pretty red fruit, with touches of cherry and blossom. The palate shows silky, sumptuous red and black fruit with lots of concentration. Again, a mosaic of flavours emerge: dark cherry, blackberry, kirsch, dark fruit pastels, creme de cassis, graphite and minerals. This has such mesmerising depth and length, but with all that power also comes an elegance, purity and focus. It is approachable thanks to its balance and deft structure, the fine-grained tannins wrap around the palate and the acidity lends energy and vibrancy to the ripe silky fruit . While this captivates straight away, the lingering and intense finish ensures that it will have a long life ahead. Drink 2024–2040+.

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  Producer Note, September 2021

  Following several dry years, 2016 brought one of those welcome, benevolent growing seasons that instils an enthusiasm in the winegrowing team at the approach of harvest. The winter saw abundant rainfall, and the spring brought with it an even temperance. June and July delivered several waves of warmth, which are typical of the Napa Valley; however, regular fog layers dappled with sunlight kept the region cool throughout August, ushering in a moderate Indian summer that imbued the fruit with an invigorating vibrancy, and enabled us to pick at an unhurried pace. In the resulting wine, aromas suggest cool, fragrant mists, an intermingling of bright fruit with gentle florals, and traces of fresh, wild herbs. A sip reveals a polished core—a soft, inviting texture bonded by strength. These playful curves resolve towards an elevated finish, as well as light, colorful notes that dance on the palate—and entice the imagination. ABV 14.8%.

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Producer

Napa Valley

This small town north of San Francisco has grown up to be one of California’s most famous wine regions. It is home to opulent Cabernets and sweetly-spiced Zinfandels, grown across many sub-regions including Stags Leap, Rutherford, Oakville and others. Cooling ocean fogs roll in from the Pacific at night and burn off in the summer sunshine, keeping the region cooler than you would expect for its latitude, and help produce some of the best Californian wines. Napa wines have the concentration and structure to age magnificently.