Wines
Onyx Napa Valley, 2008
This limited-production blend celebrates several intriguing varietals and provides the perfect showcase for the distinctive velvet blueberry expression of Malbec.
Vineyards
The fruit for this wine was selected from a collection of our estate vineyards throughout the Napa Valley, mainly Rutherford and Stags Leap District. This distinctive terroir of these prestigious appellations as well as the dense planting and meticulous farming by our vineyard crews contribute to the richness and complexity of this unique bottling.
Harvest & Winemaking
The 2008 vintage was extremely variable, opening with an intense frost that resulted in limited fruit set, then proceeding to be one of the driest seasons on record, which reduced berry weight further. A long, cool summer allowed flavors to develop fully before a heat wave encouraged prompt picking. Harvest commenced mid-September with the grapes gently hand-harvested into small boxes, then quickly pressed to preserve delicate flavors. For this bottling, all varietals were co-fermented. The wine underwent extended maceration for 15 days, then was aged in 50% new Frenchoak barrels for 18 months before bottling in May of 2010.
Tasting Notes
The nearly opaque, dark garnet color of this wine, as well as its name, hints at the depth and intensity in the glass. To the nose, this wine offers waves of dark stewed black plum, boysenberry and pomegranate fruits mingled with black licorice spice, milk chocolate and subtle cedar. Equally concentrated is the palate, which rushes with cooked raspberry, fresh blackberry and red plum preserves among hints of white pepper and dark cocoa. The persistent finish is supported by firm tannins and a velvety touch of briar spice.
Food Pairing
A young and powerful wine, Onyx shows best alongside hearty pairings or offerings from the grill. In the summer, try it with slow-cooked beef tri-tip, dry rubbed and slowly smoked with mesquite. On the grilling off-season, Onyx would partner perfectly with wild-boar stew with egg noodles and root vegetables or against the saltiness of aged Pecorino Romano cheese.
- SRP
- $60
- Purchase
- Varietal
- 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec, 22% Tannat, 12% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
- Appellation
- Napa Valley
- Alcohol
- 14.1%
- Released
- March 2011
- Aging Potential
- 10-12 years