Ellman Wine The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019

The Silverado Trail was constructed in 1852 as a wagon trail, the first permanent road linking the cities of Napa and Calistoga.  In 1858, pioneers discovered silver in Napa Valley, and a dozen years later, wine production began in earnest.  The wagon trail grew into an important commercial road (though savvy travelers still had to watch for bandits).  Today, this two-lane road, parallel to the busier Highway 29, is the access point to the remarkable wineries perched along the base of the Vaca Mountains on Napa’s eastern flanks.  Since 2015, a new winery and estate has quietly taken shape where the Silverado Trail meets the country lane stretching into Soda Canyon, just south of the Stags Leap District.  Ellman Family Vineyards is a family project, one helmed by two brothers taking a slow and careful approach to their Napa Valley endeavor.  They heard about the alluring Napa Valley and indulged in exceptional Napa bottles for years before purchasing a property, and what better place to stake their claim than along the famous Silverado Trail?

The Ellmans are no strangers to creating a successful business and the mechanizations behind the scenes of selling something you love.  As third-generation mattress manufacturers, brothers Neil & Lance embrace the challenge of entrepreneurship and feel honored to be establishing a legacy in Napa for the next generation of Ellmans.  Neil steers the sales and marketing for the family brand, and Lance keeps the trains on time, overseeing the operational logistics of the winery and vineyard.  At their side are winemaker Andy Erickson and vineyard manager Michael Wolf, two Napa icons who need little introduction.   The family cherishes Andy & Mike’s combined wisdom of Napa Valley and keen mentorship as they steward the 25-year-old estate vineyard and translate the land’s promise from grape into bottle.

After four years of learning the intricacies of the vineyard and tweaking practices to glean the utmost potential from the property, Neil and Lance released a 100% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.   Their 2019 “The Estate” is a barrel-selection blend of favorite Cabernet aged in 70% new French oak for 22 months and amounting to 220 cases after production.  An authentic flagship wine, this Cab is powerful with aromatic complexities that speak to the vineyard’s terroir, located at the base of the volcanic Vaca range near the Napa River’s alluvial fan.  Beautiful, savory herbal tones highlight the cherry, cedar, and roasted coffee aromas.  Formidable tannins on the palate create a backbone for the finessed hibiscus, black currant, earthy mushroom, and chocolate notes that last through the weighted finish.