Blancaneaux
2015
Founded by a successful Finnish sea Captain, Gustave Niebaum, in the 1880’s, Inglenook Estate in Rutherford California was once the most highly regarded of the earliest, great Napa Valley estate wineries. Over the years the estate passed through the hands of Niebaum’s descendants. Eventually the family started to sell off plots of the historic homestead. Even the proud name was put on the market in 1964 and sold to a corporation as merely a brand name. But in 1975, Francis Ford Coppola...
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Created in 1999 as a partner to Rubicon, Inglenook’s premier red wine, Blancaneaux is a white Rhone-style blend of estate-grown Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. Taking the complex personalities of each varietal and artfully blending them together results in Blancaneaux. The Marsanne and Roussanne contribute body and minerality, while the Viognier brings an intense bouquet of tropical fruits. These varietals are grown in vineyard blocks that have ample early morning sun, but are in full-shade by mid-afternoon, because of the shadows cast upon them by Mt. St. John. The 2015 growing season allowed the grapes to develop a splendid balance of pH and acidity that brings forth exquisite opulence without the sacrifice of acidity.
Inglenook has long embraced organic farming, and we were among the first Napa Valley wineries to have our vineyards certified organic more than 25 years ago. Our farming practices, combined with low temperatures during the winter before the 2020 growing season, made soil nutrients for good early spring growth available to all three of our white Rhône varieties. In turn, the leaf canopies developed early, and provided good protection from a heat spike we experienced just prior to harvest. The 2020 Blancaneaux harvest began with Viognier on August 20th and culminated with Marsanne and Roussanne on September 9th and 10th. The abundance of fruit was right on track, while quality was consistently excellent.
Lavishly aromatic with a wide broad palate, 2015 Blancaneaux offers a vivacious nose of lychee, lemon zest, grapefruit, and white flowers. Distinct mineral notes and tree fruit tones reminiscent of white peaches create an elegant layering reflective of the Roussanne and Marsanne in the blend. Big, bold flavors of tropical fruits such as pineapple, guava, and passion fruit fill the palate, yet there is also brisk natural acidity and crispness, creating a highly finessed expression that is true Blancaneaux.
From two sections of the producer's historic estate vineyard, this wine combines 53% Viognier, 33% Roussanne and 14% Marsanne, all fermented and aged in stainless steel. Together, they offer a dry balanced expression of green apple, Meyer lemon, tart pineapple and integrated oak.
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Caramelised lemons on the nose, aromas of citrus patisserie. This is rich and bold, not in terms of texture - that is smooth and crisp and lifted, but you can feel the alcohol here and the spice from the wood. It's a little severe and high toned right now, sharp, on the linear, straight side, so you're getting spiced citrus fruit and alcohol. Needs to expand and soften but there's good potential.
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Pear and white-peach aromas with some citrus follow through to a full body with layers of fruit and a fresh finish. Mineral undertones. A rather solid and delicious white. Viognier, marsanne and roussanne.
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Good assembly Rhone-type (Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier), full-bodied and robust, aromatic without being exuberant, to mature and quite opulent fruit.
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Francis Ford Coppola decided on the name, which is the name of the area of his hotel in Belize. In the 1990s it was a Chardonnay, then changed to a 35% Roussanne, 34% Marsanne and 31% Viognier blend from a shaded 8-acre site close to the Mayacamas Mountains. Too cool for reds. A novelty for him (like the Syrah and Zinfandel). No oak. 75% of juice is free-run. Aged on lees.
Fresh and well melded. Floral and honeysuckle of the Rhône varieties. Bone dry. Slightly chewy at present.
Subtle aromas currently, this wine will do well with plenty of air upon opening and a bit more time in bottle as well. There is a promise of more to come as it continues to evolve in bottle. Notes of white grapefruit pith, crushed lime blossom, a hint of melon and a bit of lychee are balanced with a savoury accent of sea salt. There is plenty of nuance here and an intriguing balance of richness with elegant presence, flesh on the palate yet tension and length. Nicely done.
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