Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois NV
Champagne, France 🇫🇷

Overview
This distinguished cuvée from the esteemed family-run house (est. 1818) earns its name “Sous Bois” (“under wood”) by being fully vinified and aged in oak barrels. The blend features ~34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, and 33% Pinot Meunier—a balanced trio that brings both richness and finesse. The oak elevates its texture, resulting in a strikingly layered and structured Champagne that’s a step above the usual non-vintage Brut. 

Aromas & Flavors
Lively orchard fruit like pear, green apple, and citrus mingle with decadent notes of brioche, roasted nuts, vanilla, and a tertiary spice layer from the oak. A mineral undertone provides brightness underneath the creamy, toasty character.  

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied yet refined, with a fine and lingering mousse. The palate feels velvety and textured, balanced by bright acidity and a satisfying, mineral-driven finish.  

Winemaking Notes
Fermentation and aging are conducted entirely in oak barrels at cool temperatures. A portion of the wine includes reserve wines, which contribute depth and consistency. Lees aging ranges from 6 to 7 years. No malolactic fermentation in most lots, preserving freshness and clarity.   

Food Pairing
A versatile and luxurious Champagne—ideal with roasted poultry, creamy shellfish dishes (think lobster or scallops), and earthy mushroom preparations. Works elegantly as both an aperitif and a gastronomic accompaniment.

Verdict
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois NV is a masterclass in barrel-fermented Champagne. It blends textural richness with precision and finesse—bold yet balanced, complex yet harmonious. A standout choice when you want something unforgettable and elegant. — 10 months ago

Jason Phillips

9.0

Outstanding surprise on the road. Highlighted by a local wine store. Not usually a huge Columbia Valley fan, but its really nice for the price. — 3 years ago

Adi

9.1

What a lovely Syrah comes from the north of the Rhône Valley, from my favorite St. Joseph.

🍇The domain extends over the longest river stretch in the north of the Rhône. The nature of the soil is very reminiscent of the neighboring Hermitage: granite, with the addition of sand and gravel, the east-facing slope receives less sunlight than the Hermitage, which results in slightly fewer berries, but it knows how to create competition for the Hermitage, Cote Rotie or Cornas.

🍇It usually doesn't need much time in the bottle compared to Cote-Rotei or Hermitage, and the prices are more affordable, which is why it's a particular favorite of mine.

🍇 It has power, infinite tannins run through it, ripe and delicate, perfect seasoning and lots of harmony. It has character, it has depth, full body, 14% alcohol, it has aromas and flavors of smoke, refined barrel, herbs and lots and lots of red and black fruit, maybe raspberry, maybe black cherry, maybe plum.

🍇The finish is soft, long and caressing.

🍇 Elegant, young, full of life, opened before its time, but I really loved it.

Cheers ! 🌿🥂

(From "Raisins in Facebook- it's all about wine and good people" — 4 years ago

Severn G

9.2

Nose has washed lime, dried pineapple, wet river pebbles, citrus blossom, neutral oak barrel and dried Clementine peel.

Palate has candied lemon, grapefruit pith, dry clay-based soil, tangerine juice and moist gravel (crusher-run). Quite round on the palate, rich and enjoyable. Finish runs under a minute. Decanted +60m.

Likely a good life for this bottle, easily held in proper storage until 2028+.

Purchased at the winery in Nov. 2016, $31.

This Riesling is from estate plantings (2008) on Seneca Lake.

Day 4 Update: Nose has dried Clementine peel, cut lemon, chalk and under-ripe peach. Palate has ripe peach, orange zest and tart orange minus the citric acid. Quite fun, it's really drinking great now. Moving from 9.1 to 9.2.

@Delectable Wine Would you please drop the 'Finger Lakes' language out of the wine name please? That info is already listed in the more detailed location information, thanks. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Wagner family project now owned and run by Joe Wagner. Sunshine yellow with aromas of green fruits and nutty notes. Barrel fermented in French oak (50% new) for 14 months with full malolactic fermentation. On the palate flavors of stone fruits and citrus notes with a creamy texture. Good balance, medium length ending with a honey character. Good value. — 7 years ago

Miguel Ostrowski

9.5

Barrel fermented goodness! Stunning blanc de blanc with fruit coming from Cramant, Avize, and Chouilly, 5 years on it’s lees with about 20% reserve wine.
Composed, balanced, slightly rich still maintaining great acid. I’ve been a fan of this small family run winery for many years and after visiting them I’ll continue to fly the VJ flag! — 8 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.3

NOT served at the Stanford Guest House...had to make a run to a local beer and wine shop to survive reviewing 11 proposals before 8am tomorrow morning. I’m not a fan of everything Ommegang produces, but this is terrific. Nice aromas of malt and some molasses on the nose, smooth and rich across the palate, with a lingering, slightly (but not too) sweet finish. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 8 years ago

Ming L

9.4

Restrained yet deep aromas of blackcurrant, violet, warm spices, and graphite. On the palate, very fine tannins frame layers of flavors that echo the nose, with a lifted acidity that enhances precision. Silken texture and minerality run through the finish, giving this wine a graceful, composed structure.
From a specific block with sandy loam soil. 100% Cab in 100% new French oak barrel for 20 months. 47 cases produced. This is possibly the best Cab I’ve tasted from Knights Valley. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

My continued quest to try as many 2022 Burgundies as possible.

My instincts on this one is it will require more cellaring than the previous other five 22’s.

The nose says, it is in a dumb phase. Not showing much. Muddled, brooding dark fruits, not very distinctive earth and withering dark flowers.

The palate fruits are nice. Juicy, ripe but again not one fruit stands out over all others. Dark cherries, ripe strawberries, some nice blackberries, plum, raspberries with the lightest blue fruit hues. Tannins here but far less pronounced than the previous five wines. Like the others, dusty, dry top soils, limestone powder, dry river stone, black tea, dark rich soil with dry leaves, dry twigs, 65% new oak here but you wouldn’t sense that high of use, so, barrel shavings, lightly grilled meats, dry tobacco & leather, very light baking spices, baking soda/powder, nice, dark spice-not overdone, dry herbs, moist, volcanic clay, withering to dry dark, red flowers, nice acidity with an nicely; balanced, elegant, well made finish that lasts two-minutes that run nice fruit to dry minerals.

Don’t open for ten years. — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

‘Auteur’, meaning, ‘author’ in French, is a micro boutique, family-owned and run winery in Sonoma. The name captures a sense of creativity, artistry, and innovation.

Here’s a flight of the 2019 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir, the 2019 Labyrinth Vineyard Pinot Noir, and Auteur’s inaugural 2018 Nunnery Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wow, each of these wines has such a strong sense of self. From a baked black cherry, plum, fruit focused wine (Gap’s Crown) to a more mocha, earthy, inky, spicy wine (Labyrinth), to an herbal, eucalyptus, rose, potpourri, green bell pepper driven wine (Nunnery).

The Pinots come from a clone known for its thick skin (relatively speaking!), which overall lends a deeper hue and more tannin to the structure. These wines are made exclusively from the free run juice.

The Pinots are all fermented in 60% new French oak (medium toast), the Cabernet is just slightly more with 70% new French oak.

The Cabernet was aged for 24 months in the barrel, lending cedar, clove, and cinnamon notes.

These wines are beautiful 😍😍😍
— 5 years ago

with Deked1

Ron from VA

8.9

This PV Is like a cleanup hitter getting to pitch he wanted with runners in scoring position, with two outs, and watching the fall just feet short of a home run. Wonderful swing and could contact, just misses the bull’s-eye for the game winning walk off homerun. The purple/floral notes are there, it’s just missing the energy and weight that comes with ripe sugars and extraction leading to vibrant Tannins/mouthfeel. Let me be clear, this is an enjoyable wine, it’s just not AMAZING ;) it should be noted that this spent 28 months and barrel, perhaps it softened a little too much? — 7 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.3

This is a home run right out of the gate and just keeps soaring way beyond price point. Pear, peach, ginger, white flowers, hazelnuts, fresh butter, salt-preserved lemons. Quite complex. Salinity, floral aroma and freshness are reminiscent of Chablis. Mid palate is lithe yet richly textured, rounding out into a more tropical fruit dimension with extended aeration, showing more weight and viscosity. Outstanding depth and lift. Fabulous barrel-fermented Godello. Love it.
— 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I bought my first vintage from this producer & terroir beginning with the 2010 vintage and what a vintage to start. I bought four bottles for right around $50 or a little less. They were so amazing, I drank through them in no time at all. For those of you that read my posts, that’s not normally what I do. I like to drink one & age the rest. Since then, I have looked & looked for more. I’d finally given up hopes of finding more until recently I struck gold. I should have bought all nine bottles but a calmer head prevailed. It’s definitely changed since having it fresh. On the nose, the fruits are slightly macerated. Heather honey, beeswax, golden & green apple, pineapple upside down cake, slight orange citrus blend, mango, glazed nuts, soft, delicate, chalky minerals, a touch of jasmine & yellow lilies. The body is much rounder & thicker than when it was young. Waxy. So, beautifully layered across the palate. Much of the palate matches the nose. Heather honey, beeswax, golden & green apple, apricots, peach, pineapple upside down cake, slight orange citrus blend, mango, slight molasses character & glazed nuts with citrus blossoms, yellow lilies & jasmine. The minerals are much more grippy & bold as they cut across and set on the palate. The acidity round & phat. The texture is amazing as is the length, balance & beautiful, rich, long finish that lasts two-minutes plus. So glad I found more of this wine! Hubert Lamy seriously over deliver the terroir & the price point by a country mile. If you are not buying this wine on pre-arrival, you are missing great wine and excellent value. Can’t say enough good things about it. Especially, the 2010. I expect the 15 to hold similar quality. Photos of; Olivier Lamy, Olivier working in this vineyard, barrel room and their Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Vineyard. Producer notes and history...There have been Lamy’ s growing vines in St-Aubin since 1640, today it is run by Olivier Lamy. Olivier is a new breed of Burgundian grower keen to progress. He trained Méo-Camuzet & made a number of vintages before taking over in 1996 from his father Hubert. Hubert Lamy used to sell fruit to négociants, but that stopped in 1997. He grubbed up and sold off peripheral vines, keeping only the best and oldest sites. Currently he is experimenting with different planting densities in a quest to capture even greater expression of terroir. The Domaine produces both reds and whites and now has 16.5 hectares of vineyards, mostly in St-Aubin but also own a few parcels in Chassagne-Montrachet and a tiny plot in the Grand Cru Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. Yields are kept low and recent innovations have been introduced with selection tables in the cuverie to ensure that only the healthiest and ripest grapes are used. His more recent move to reduce the amount of new oak with the introduction of demi-muids 300-600 liter barrels have also helped to improve the wines. Vinification is traditional and the wines are matured with only 20-30% new oak for 12 months before minimal filtration and then bottling. The quality is very high and is often superior to many wines from much more prominent villages that sell at twice the price or more. — 8 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2023 vintage. Medium body. Dark fruit mated with grip. Good balance with a modicum of richness at the start. Resto cost $15 a bottle on 3 cases. This is easily the most ridiculous, cheap chicken, Napa Cab offer I've come across in a decade. Word in the barrel room is that this is declassified juice from a major Cabernet player/participant that can't be tied into this effort. Tasted their Sauvignon Blanc (and I intently dislike SB) as well and it rocked for a similar price. Approx 5k cases of this Cab made so you might actually come across it. if you do, grab a case. 03.21.25. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I get why people who generally always review this producer as just good consuming it young. This is ten years from birth, eight years in bottle and it is still not at its peak. it has ten years and perhaps more properly stored. Very good tonight but better things ahead. It takes this long and longer for WS Pinots to shine.

The palate is, juicy, ripe, rich, a bit lush; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, purple fruits, hues of blueberries, plum and ripe to dry strawberries with a pomegranate overlay. Then, dry earthiness, top soil, crushed rocks & powdery limestone & chalkiness, dark spices, some black pepper, dry brush, eucalyptus, tree sap, sun tea, black and red cola/licorice, drier tobacco, barrel dust to shavings, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, touch of dry herbs-bay leaves & sage, bright red, pink, blue, purple florals framed in dark slightly withering florals, rain shower acidity, the finish is; well structured & balanced in fruit, earth & flowers, some more tension than I like but will soften & fade nicely in 3-5 years. But, wire to wire really even and stunning. Evolution & integration is good but needs 3-5 years to be its best. Coravin glass.

IMHO, one of the outstanding CA Pinot producers. Walter Hansel gives them a run for the money at their fantastic price point. — 3 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.4

One of my favorites from Premiere Napa Valley 2020 #pnv20 #pnv2020 #napa only 5 cases produced. “A blend of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from two of the best AXR Napa Valley blocks
50% from Sleeping Lady Vineyard in Yountville and 50% from Denali Vineyard in the hills of St. Helena
100% barrel fermented from our finest barrels utilizing native yeast; unfined and unfiltered
Reflection of Jean Hoefliger’s pursuit to create a wine to push the envelope of Cabernet Sauvignon

AXR is a winery that pays homage to the past at their historic estate in St. Helena. AXR, named after the rootstock which succumbed to phylloxera, left the California wine industry a blank canvas. This was a crossing of the past and future of the wine industry as we know it. AXR has given winemaker Jean Hoefliger this same blank canvas. Jean is driven to push the envelope, challenging not only winemaking but life in general. With an insatiable appetite for art, philosophy and good discussion, Jean thrives when his creativity and passion is left unbound by conventional thinking.


Wine Facts

Wine is unfiltered
Single vineyard wine
Sustainably produced — 5 years ago

with Ron

Aaron Tan

9.3

Been a fan of this cuvee since it's inception. To me, this is about as close as Aussie riesling gets to its German counterpart. Neither a good or bad thing, but I love that link between two countries I adore in this wine. That said, this was one of the best Aussie rieslings I've had all year.

German inspired methods on Western Australian fruit. From Frankland Estate's website:

All riesling grapes are harvested as cool as possible and pressed immediately, slow press cycles allow for soft and long extraction. Blocks and picks are kept separate and some juice from most blocks is fermented in barrel format for interest and comparison purposes. Picking decisions are made on ripeness and fruitfulness, with the main aim of working with natural balance yet intentionally look for greater ripeness with this wine and as a result greater degree of phenolic influence and texture. Juice is sent to tank to settle overnight (without enzyme or any additions). A cloudy juice is run to a combination of 1000ltr and 500ltr barrels. Fermentation is spontaneous and temperature controlled to some degree but temperature range is generally higher than tank fermentations. Post fermentation barrels are topped and left un-sulphured through to spring time quite often if residual sugars are high fermentation will be left to start again in spring as juice warms. Sulphur will be introduced when a decision is made on the vitality/fruitfulness of the wine and residual sugar is seen to be in balanced with the wine. Wine was left in barrel for 10 months (January).

The resulting wine is textural, spicy, and generous. Doesn't quite have the extract of German rieslings, but there's length, balance, and most importantly, it's uniquely its own wine. I feel that the provenance of the fruit shines through all that winemaking - that crunchy fruit-first with more green apple/citrus than stone fruits, steeliness, and light whiff of smoke/petrol. It's also remarkably clean for a barrel-treated wine (say compared to Koehler-Ruprecht or JB Becker). Enough with the rant because the takeaway is that it's delicious! — 7 years ago

Carol Montoya

9.0

Gives Apothic Inferno a run for its money — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

One of my favorite Napa producers & vintages from Philip Togni.

On the nose, ripe, perfumed florals, creamy fruits of; blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, plum and strawberries on the glass edges. Vibrant baking spices; vanilla, light cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark smooth spices, mocha chocolate with caramel, dark berry cola, notes of black licorice, sweet tar, forest floral, fresh tobacco leaf, just a touch of dry herbs, graphite, loamy clay and dark, fresh red florals with lavender & violets.

The body is, round, ruby, lush & full. The structure, tension, length have just tipped to the very beginnings of the waning stage but, the balance is incredible. Ripe, perfumed florals, creamy fruits of; blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, plum and strawberries on the glass edges. Vibrant baking spices; vanilla, light cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark smooth spices, mocha chocolate with caramel, dark berry cola, chalky volcanic minerals with some grit, crushed dry rocks, notes of black licorice, sweet tar, forest floral, tobacco with ash, soft leather, saddle-wood, some underbrush, just a touch of dry herbs, graphite, loamy clay and dark, fresh red florals with lavender & violets. The round acidity is near perfect. The long, round, ripe, ruby, lush, well balanced finish sings on the palate for minutes.

Photos of, the Philip Togni vineyard, cellar staff-Salvador Sanchez, Philip Togni and his daughter Lisa and their barrel room.

Producer notes and history...Philip Togni was born in England and earned a degree (the Dipome National d’Oenologie) at the University of Bordeaux under Emile Peynaud. World famous Winemaker & mega Wine Consultant Michel Rolland also studied under Emile.

After his studies, Philip Togni moved to the Napa Valley in 1959. His first job was planting vines at Mayacamas.

In his career, he has been the Winemaker for Chalone, Chappellet, Cuvaison, Gallo, Inglenook and Sterling before starting his own winery.

Philip Togni was the Winemaker at Chapellet when they made one of the top wines from the 1960’s, the legendary 1969 Chapellet.

Philip Togni Vineyards were founded in 1975 when he purchased 25 acres atop Spring Mountain at an elevation of 2,000 feet. It took until 1981 to plant the vineyard. Sadly, he had to replant in the early 1990’s due to phylloxera.

The winery released its first vintage in 1983, a Sauvignon Blanc. However, he no longer produces white wine.

It took a few more years until the first Cabernet Sauvignon wines were produced at the estate. The debut vintage for Philip Togni Cabernet was the 1985 vintage. The initial vintages of Philip Togni were 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Philip Togni does not produce wines with high alcohol. A style from Napa that is sorely missed by me.

The style of his wines are Left bank. Left Bank wines had a big influence on his winemaking and the estate. However, if you have ever spent time looking at his labels for alcohol levels, they’re nowhere to be found.

During the 1980’s, the BATF allowed wineries to state that their wine had the alcoholic strength of a table wine, which was around 7% to 14%. For wineries that had not requested to change their labels, those wineries were not forced to provide specific percent of alcohol. If their labels remain unchanged from their label during the 1980’s, they were only required to state the wine as table wine.

The vineyard contains rocky and clay soils at 2,000 feet. Like Howell Mountain, the vineyard is well above the fog line, which allows for more sunlight and riper fruit.

The Estate is planted to 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

Philip Togni makes three wines:

Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged in 40% new, French oak barrels for an average of 20 months before bottling.

Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, powerful, tannic when wine young. PT requires longer cellar time. It’s made from ripe mountain fruit that can easily take a 10 to 20 year to fully mature. And trust me, it is closer to 20 years of aging before it’s ready to drink.

Philip Togni also produces a second wine called “Tanbark Hill.” It’s named after a prominent hill near the Estate. Tanbark Hill is a 3 1/2-acre parcel of young vines. A very good second wine for less money.

The third wine is Philip Togni Ca’ and is sweet red dessert wine that is produced from the grape, Black Hamburgh. This grape was popular in the Napa Valley before Prohibition. Black Hamburgh is also know as Black Muscat. It is a grape variety derived from the crossing of the Schiava Grossa and Muscat of Alexandria by R. Snow of Bedforshire, England in 1850, according to my studies.

Philip Togni remains a family Winery. The estate is managed by Philip Togni (in his 90’s), his wife Brigitta Togni and their daughter Lisa Togni. In time, it is expected that Lisa Togni will take over the estate.

— 8 years ago