Handcrafted Artisan Wines
Black Cordon Vineyards
- Wines of Balance and Complexity -
Napa Valley
Winemaking
- Wines of Balance and Complexity -
Winemaking
OUR OBJECTIVE
We approach our winemaking with the intention of making wines that are intense and complex with a distinct character that faithfully represents where the grapes have been grown. We want wines that have layers of flavors with harmonious balance. Our wines are made to capture all the nuances of complexity that we can coax from the vineyard. Attention to detail and hands-on attention to every barrel of wine is what it takes to pull this off.
OUR WINEMAKING
I can't stress enough that if you don't have great fruit from a great location, then you can't make a great wine. Period. We have great locations and we do everything possible in the vineyard to make sure we produce ripe and healthy, full-flavored grapes. From the minute they are snipped from the vine at harvest, the grapes are handled ever so gently through all steps leading up to the crush. The red wine grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, are all fermented separately and blended only before bottling. After the red grapes are crushed, they are allowed to cold soak in stainless steel tanks for 7 to 10 days before fermentation is allowed to begin in order to extract complex, flavorful compounds from the grapes. After fermentation, the wine is allowed to sit and rest; a process called extended maceration. This is done in order to eliminate any harshness caused by the bigger tannin compounds. The wine is then pressed and placed into small French oak barrels, 75% new, for 20 to 22 months of aging. Of course our wines are bottled without filtration or fining for maximum concentration and character. With our Cabernet Sauvignon wines, we are doing all that we can in order to produce wines that would be best described as - black fruit, dark berries, complex, well-structured, layered with strong middle flavors and a long finish, and at all times, well balanced.
Our Chardonnay is whole cluster pressed and fermented directly in small French oak barrels using native yeasts naturally found in the vineyards. The resulting sediment in the barrel, called the lees, is stirred and mixed every couple of weeks. Barrel fermenting and stirring the lees is time-consuming but it adds layers of flavor and complexity that you cannot achieve any other way. Our intention is to craft a Chardonnay that is fresh and vibrant with delicious citrus, melon and mineral flavors that transition into a full-textured middle, with hints of creaminess; the finish should be long and complex, without seams. We do not want a Chardonnay that is buttery, oaky and flabby like too many Chardonnays can be. A wine with plenty of weight and layers of crisp, complex character is what we are after. A Chardonnay that after one glass you'll actually want to drink the whole bottle before moving on to the reds!
OUR BARREL PROGRAM
Another part of winemaking that can't be stressed enough is the use of oak barrels. There is a great deal of diversity in quality and characteristics available when it comes to selecting barrels. First of all, we use only French oak barrels from some of the most famous and proven oak forests in France. We season our wines with subtle nuances and complexity by using French oak barrels from six different producers, and by using a variety of barrels from each producer that are harvested, constructed and toasted to our specifications. Even the thickness of the staves is varied barrel by barrel in order to place every wine in it's ideal environment. In the cellar we get to know each and every barrel of wine intimately, and I can assure you that every barrel of wine has its own special nuances of character because of this approach. Our Cabernet Sauvignon typically is made with 75% new Burgundy and Bordeaux French oak and our Chardonnay usually sees 40-50% new Burgundy French oak.
OUR SELECTION PROCESS- SYNERGY
In the vineyard and at all stages of the winemaking and aging process we are alert to the slightest details. These details are attended to with the result that we are able to direct and to select vines, grapes, barrels and wines that we feel will best fit the Black Cordon Vineyards style. At the same time we are going through exactly the same selection and guidance process for our other Winery Label, which is called Sixteen by Twenty Wines. The fascinating thing about this arrangement is that there is a "Synergy" that takes place every vintage. Because the lesser priced 16x20 Wines are grown and vinified right along with the BCV wines they benefit from the same time consuming, labor intensive and expensive winemaking that goes into our main label. Wines in their price category generally aren't made from limited yield vineyards and then treated to handcrafted winemaking with expensive French oak like these are. So the 16x20 Wines are great values. And the Synergy for the Black Cordon Vineyards wines is simply that we are able to cherry pick the best expression from our vineyards every vintage for the BCV label, the result being that the Black Cordon Vineyards wines are of the highest quality every year, no matter what mother nature has thrown at us.
The Reserve Cru Cabernet Sauvignon and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon programs.
These programs allow us to push the limits and produce wines of intense expression of viticulture, winemaking and place. Our Reserve Cru and Single Vineyard Cabernets will only be bottled in extremely limited quantities and only when we have something special to share. These wines will be available at hand selected Restaurants and to our e-Members and Mailing List Members.
Single Vineyard Chardonnay
You get a very unique wine and a truly great expression of a vineyard when a Chardonnay is produced from one single vineyard source without blending. We take it a step further and produce our wines from small hand-picked blocks within the vineyard. Great vineyard sites produce great wines and it doesn't get any better than Ritchie Vineyard Block L in the Russian River and Gap's Crown Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast appellation.
We approach our winemaking with the intention of making wines that are intense and complex with a distinct character that faithfully represents where the grapes have been grown. We want wines that have layers of flavors with harmonious balance. Our wines are made to capture all the nuances of complexity that we can coax from the vineyard. Attention to detail and hands-on attention to every barrel of wine is what it takes to pull this off.
OUR WINEMAKING
I can't stress enough that if you don't have great fruit from a great location, then you can't make a great wine. Period. We have great locations and we do everything possible in the vineyard to make sure we produce ripe and healthy, full-flavored grapes. From the minute they are snipped from the vine at harvest, the grapes are handled ever so gently through all steps leading up to the crush. The red wine grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, are all fermented separately and blended only before bottling. After the red grapes are crushed, they are allowed to cold soak in stainless steel tanks for 7 to 10 days before fermentation is allowed to begin in order to extract complex, flavorful compounds from the grapes. After fermentation, the wine is allowed to sit and rest; a process called extended maceration. This is done in order to eliminate any harshness caused by the bigger tannin compounds. The wine is then pressed and placed into small French oak barrels, 75% new, for 20 to 22 months of aging. Of course our wines are bottled without filtration or fining for maximum concentration and character. With our Cabernet Sauvignon wines, we are doing all that we can in order to produce wines that would be best described as - black fruit, dark berries, complex, well-structured, layered with strong middle flavors and a long finish, and at all times, well balanced.
Our Chardonnay is whole cluster pressed and fermented directly in small French oak barrels using native yeasts naturally found in the vineyards. The resulting sediment in the barrel, called the lees, is stirred and mixed every couple of weeks. Barrel fermenting and stirring the lees is time-consuming but it adds layers of flavor and complexity that you cannot achieve any other way. Our intention is to craft a Chardonnay that is fresh and vibrant with delicious citrus, melon and mineral flavors that transition into a full-textured middle, with hints of creaminess; the finish should be long and complex, without seams. We do not want a Chardonnay that is buttery, oaky and flabby like too many Chardonnays can be. A wine with plenty of weight and layers of crisp, complex character is what we are after. A Chardonnay that after one glass you'll actually want to drink the whole bottle before moving on to the reds!
OUR BARREL PROGRAM
Another part of winemaking that can't be stressed enough is the use of oak barrels. There is a great deal of diversity in quality and characteristics available when it comes to selecting barrels. First of all, we use only French oak barrels from some of the most famous and proven oak forests in France. We season our wines with subtle nuances and complexity by using French oak barrels from six different producers, and by using a variety of barrels from each producer that are harvested, constructed and toasted to our specifications. Even the thickness of the staves is varied barrel by barrel in order to place every wine in it's ideal environment. In the cellar we get to know each and every barrel of wine intimately, and I can assure you that every barrel of wine has its own special nuances of character because of this approach. Our Cabernet Sauvignon typically is made with 75% new Burgundy and Bordeaux French oak and our Chardonnay usually sees 40-50% new Burgundy French oak.
OUR SELECTION PROCESS- SYNERGY
In the vineyard and at all stages of the winemaking and aging process we are alert to the slightest details. These details are attended to with the result that we are able to direct and to select vines, grapes, barrels and wines that we feel will best fit the Black Cordon Vineyards style. At the same time we are going through exactly the same selection and guidance process for our other Winery Label, which is called Sixteen by Twenty Wines. The fascinating thing about this arrangement is that there is a "Synergy" that takes place every vintage. Because the lesser priced 16x20 Wines are grown and vinified right along with the BCV wines they benefit from the same time consuming, labor intensive and expensive winemaking that goes into our main label. Wines in their price category generally aren't made from limited yield vineyards and then treated to handcrafted winemaking with expensive French oak like these are. So the 16x20 Wines are great values. And the Synergy for the Black Cordon Vineyards wines is simply that we are able to cherry pick the best expression from our vineyards every vintage for the BCV label, the result being that the Black Cordon Vineyards wines are of the highest quality every year, no matter what mother nature has thrown at us.
The Reserve Cru Cabernet Sauvignon and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon programs.
These programs allow us to push the limits and produce wines of intense expression of viticulture, winemaking and place. Our Reserve Cru and Single Vineyard Cabernets will only be bottled in extremely limited quantities and only when we have something special to share. These wines will be available at hand selected Restaurants and to our e-Members and Mailing List Members.
Single Vineyard Chardonnay
You get a very unique wine and a truly great expression of a vineyard when a Chardonnay is produced from one single vineyard source without blending. We take it a step further and produce our wines from small hand-picked blocks within the vineyard. Great vineyard sites produce great wines and it doesn't get any better than Ritchie Vineyard Block L in the Russian River and Gap's Crown Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast appellation.
OUR CONSULTING WINEMAKER -
PAUL HOBBS
We, the owners of Black Cordon Vineyard, knew from the beginning that we needed a winemaker with exceptional talent and an exceptional work ethic. We wanted our winemaker to show a keen attention to detail and a natural desire to always push to do the very best possible. We wanted a person who shared our values for excellence. We got lucky. A fortunate introduction to Paul Hobbs, known literally as a world class winemaker, turned into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to team with him as our consulting winemaker.
Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate and the Wine Spectator have both called Paul one of a handful of the very top winemakers in the world.
We have come to know Paul as a new friend and someone who sees our goal - to produce the most balanced and complex wines possible - as clearly as we do. We have come to learn that the hands-on details from the vineyard through to bottling, are crucially important and very complex. We would not have navigated this path and achieved the wines that we have without the master skills of our winemaking team.
Paul Hobbs is a seasoned, experienced winemaker who has made wine all around the world and, yes, that makes him knowledgeable; but it's more than that. We've come to know Paul as a winemaking genius who simply seems to be able to do it better than most, and equally as good as the best.
Mailing List/Wine Club Sign UpPAUL HOBBS
We, the owners of Black Cordon Vineyard, knew from the beginning that we needed a winemaker with exceptional talent and an exceptional work ethic. We wanted our winemaker to show a keen attention to detail and a natural desire to always push to do the very best possible. We wanted a person who shared our values for excellence. We got lucky. A fortunate introduction to Paul Hobbs, known literally as a world class winemaker, turned into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to team with him as our consulting winemaker.
Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate and the Wine Spectator have both called Paul one of a handful of the very top winemakers in the world.
We have come to know Paul as a new friend and someone who sees our goal - to produce the most balanced and complex wines possible - as clearly as we do. We have come to learn that the hands-on details from the vineyard through to bottling, are crucially important and very complex. We would not have navigated this path and achieved the wines that we have without the master skills of our winemaking team.
Paul Hobbs is a seasoned, experienced winemaker who has made wine all around the world and, yes, that makes him knowledgeable; but it's more than that. We've come to know Paul as a winemaking genius who simply seems to be able to do it better than most, and equally as good as the best.
