I think this is the only 2020 Napa I have bought & tasted.
Opened one the day after they arrived which is way too soon to judge but it was better than expected for the vintage. Tons of sediment surprisingly. Winery notes below-
Owners: Florence & Daniel Cathiard
Produced and bottled on Cathiard Vineyard’s estate
Yields 2.5 tons / acre (37 hL/ha)
Average vine age 25 years
Grape variety 55% Cabernet Sauvignon
40% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol 13.9%
Harvest dates From Sept. 10, 2020, to Oct. 2, 2020
Harvest Hand-harvested from our oldest hillside vineyard and
valley floor vines.
Winemaking Gentle de-stemming, optical sorting of berries
to ensure the best whole berries are utilized.
Grapes are transferred to fermentation vessels
by gravity and left to cold soak for up to 5 days.
Fermentation temperature maintained under 82F
(28C), with gentle manipulations by pump-overs
and punch-downs. After 30 days in tanks the wine is
drained, pressed, and undergoes a naturally occurring
malolactic fermentation in new
French oak.
Barrel-aging 16-18 months,
40% new French oak and 20% large foudres.
I think this is the only 2020 Napa I have bought & tasted.
Opened one the day after they arrived which is way too soon to judge but it was better than expected for the vintage. Tons of sediment surprisingly. Winery notes below-
Owners: Florence & Daniel Cathiard
Produced and bottled on Cathiard Vineyard’s estate
Yields 2.5 tons / acre (37 hL/ha)
Average vine age 25 years
Grape variety 55% Cabernet Sauvignon
40% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol 13.9%
Harvest dates From Sept. 10, 2020, to Oct. 2, 2020
Harvest Hand-harvested from our oldest hillside vineyard and
valley floor vines.
Winemaking Gentle de-stemming, optical sorting of berries
to ensure the best whole berries are utilized.
Grapes are transferred to fermentation vessels
by gravity and left to cold soak for up to 5 days.
Fermentation temperature maintained under 82F
(28C), with gentle manipulations by pump-overs
and punch-downs. After 30 days in tanks the wine is
drained, pressed, and undergoes a naturally occurring
malolactic fermentation in new
French oak.
Barrel-aging 16-18 months,
40% new French oak and 20% large foudres.
Nov 17th, 2025
2020 vintage. Medium-heavy body. Nicely made but lacking the complexities of comparably priced and styled Napa reds. From what I understand, this is from the old Flora Springs property. 5.9.24.
2020 vintage. Medium-heavy body. Nicely made but lacking the complexities of comparably priced and styled Napa reds. From what I understand, this is from the old Flora Springs property. 5.9.24.
May 9th, 2024
Napa Valley, California, USA
