Description
Located on the historic Silverado Trail in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District, Black Stallion Estate Winery pays homage to the rich history of the 32-acre estate which was once home to the Silverado Equestrian Center. The property was purchased in 2010 by the Indelicato family, a fourth-generation family-owned company founded in 1924. Sourcing from the most prestigious vineyards, the winery is committed to making only the most expressive wines.
VINTAGE
2016 was a fine year for growing great Sauvignon Blanc. Enough rain fell to fill reservoirs and ensure sufficient water for irrigation. A slightly early bud break was followed by a mild spring with minimal frost danger. Harvest was a week or so later than 2015, but being an early-ripening variety our Sauvignon Blanc was generally unaffected by later season heat spikes or rain events. Because of this we were able to choose our harvest dates to optimize each vineyard’s best state of ripeness and produce a delicious, layered and balanced wine.
VITICULTURE
Over 90% of the grapes for this wine come from the fantastic warm vineyard sites in Napa Valley including Stags Leap District, Chiles Valley, and Rutherford. The balance of the fruit comes from the Big Valley District in Lake County where the rocky landscape, high elevation and warm climate give us fruit with intense aromatics and concentrated flavors. These varied sites produced fruit with a range of characteristics ranging from rich and ripe tropical notes, slightly grassy hints and bright citrus edges that ultimately make this a wine that is multi-faceted and complex.
WINEMAKING
The fruit for this blend was handpicked during the cool, early morning hours to preserve the delicate aromas and flavors. Fruit clusters were gently pressed and settled for 24 hours; the clean juice was racked off the solids to a second tank to begin fermentation. The wine was transferred to small stainless steel tanks and fermented at low temperatures to retain the vibrant aromatics and bright acidity. This vintage is 100% stainless steel fermented with no malolactic fermentation. Our winemaker added a small amount of bright, mineral Albariño, elegant, full-bodied Semillon and floral aromatic Muscat Canelli. This gives the blend complexity and a nice balance of tropical aromas and rich, creamy texture. The amazing viscosity in the mouthfeel is testament to the beautiful fruit quality in this wine.
| Varietal | Sauvignon Blanc |
|---|---|
| Appellation | Napa Valley |
| Alcohol % | 13.5 |
| Size | 750 ml |
