2018 Petit Verdot
Tasting Notes: As rare as it is to find a 100% Petit Verdot, it is probably harder to find one from Saint Helena aged in 100% new French oak for more than 20 months. True to its personality, the 2018 Petit Verdot has an inky dark garnet color, very deep and intense. Intensity is also what you will find in the aromas of this young wine - dark fruit, blueberries, dark chocolate, mocha, white pepper and, tobacco leaf. It's mineral, with some aromas of pencil shavings and smashed rocks. It's more mineral than earthy. In the mouth, you'll find a big wine with a lot of angles but soft layers. Dark berries, cedar, cigar box, and peppery, the acidity's freshness will pleasantly surprise you and accentuate the mouthfeel with good volume and long after taste. This wine will surprise you! I would recommend that you cellar this wine for few years before enjoying it. The 2018 Ehlers Estate Petit Verdot will age well for 15-20 more years.
Vintage: 2018 was a perfect vintage from a weather standpoint. Cooler nights and mild daytime temperatures in August helped to retain the beautiful natural acidity and delicate flavors and aromas of the fruit. The excellent weather conditions allowed for less irrigation and longer hang time for the grapes. This helped gain more concentration of fruit character in the wine during fermentation. We were able to pick at the perfect time in sugar, flavor, color, and tannin ripeness without losing acidity.
Varietal: 100% Petit Verdot
Harvest: October 2018
Wine Analysis: 14.5 % alcohol ● 3.76 pH
Oak Aging: 100% New French Oak, for 22 months
Appellation: St. Helena, Napa Valley
Bottling Date: August 21, 2020
Cases Produced: 144 cases