Winemakers Notes: This wine is both round in the mouth and elegant in nature. The 2014 Audacieux rivals the characteristics of the finest Bordeaux yet couples the best qualities of the most sought after Napa Cabernets. The tannins are soft yet bring structure, while the fruit rounds out the mid palate with spice and minerality, leading to a long and memorable finish sure to leave you wanting more. The flavors are deliberate yet subtle and not overpowering and the finish is long and includes notes of dark berries with soft yet attentive tannins. The overall mouth feel is round, soft and pleasing.

Vineyard Notes: The 2014 vintage of Audacieux is Napa County single vineyard designate from a private estate on the top of Oakville Grade. This rugged hillside property just above Oakville is a very highly sought after terroir. At an elevation of approximately 1,000 feet this vineyard has a unique combination of clones planted to produce a wine that has a distinctive French style that is coupled with Napa fruit qualities.

Harvest Notes: The 2014 growing season marked our third year in a row with drought conditions. Although December and January were dry, late rains in February through early April helped fill the reservoirs. A warm and windy spring brought early bud break to the vineyards with fruit development tracking two weeks ahead of normal. The summer months were warm, leading to balanced growth in the vineyard. September brought ideal weather with cool nights and warm afternoons. We slowly started picking our Oakville Cabernet at the end of the month, but a short heat wave in early October pushed everything into ripeness. We picked up the pace, and by mid-month we had the fruit crushed and in the tank.