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Calluna Vineyards, “CVC” Bordeaux Blend

Sonoma County, United States 2016 (750mL)
$35.00
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Calluna Vineyards, “CVC” Bordeaux Blend

By offering a massive range of depth, complexity, and savory detail, Calluna Estate shattered expectations with their initial string of releases in the mid-2000s, and now, connoisseurs the world over have been enraptured. There’s nary a critic or publication that hasn’t fallen madly in love with these stunning Bordeaux-inspired blends, most notably, John Gillman, who exclaims Calluna should be ranked alongside California supernovas Philip Togni, Cathy Corison, Ric Forman, Ridge, [and] Mount Eden.” Obviously, tasting a lineup from this top-dollar, star-studded cast would delight any wine drinker, so just imagine the shock and awe that would come after finding today’s $35 “CVC” in the mix. By infusing all five prominent Bordeaux varietals from high-altitude vines in Chalk Hill, and aging it for over 20 months in classic French barriques, there’s no denying that today’s 2016 has the pedigree and profundity to compete with those heavyweights.


Truly, for anyone who desires high-end Napa and Bordeaux—but hates the $75+ prices—this red knockout is a wine to stock by the case. Once you remove the cork, it’ll become immediately apparent why everyone is buzzing about Calluna. What else can I say? This is a real stunner, a wine masterfully built to impress those who appreciate the finest reds coming out of Left Bank Bordeaux and the elevated hills of Napa Valley. Enjoy now, in 5-10 years, or put it down for a long slumber and check back in a decade...or two! All that for a $35 wine? Come on!!!


Chalk Hill AVA. You may have heard it in passing, but most probably aren’t familiar with this hidden gem of an appellation. Calluna’s picturesque vineyards, perched on the western side of the Mayacamas, have the highest elevation in the AVA, which results in excellent sun exposure, minimal frost, cooler overall temperatures, and acid retention for a balance that is closer to Bordeaux than the valleys of Sonoma and Napa. 



Before David Jeffrey founded Calluna Estate in this unique appellation, he obtained a degree in enology and viticulture from Fresno State then set out to learn at the hands of one of Bordeaux’s masters. He studied under Dr. Alain Raynaud at Chateau Quinault l’Enclos and returned to the States with a vision to craft true Bordelaise style wines in a cooler locale than his neighbors. As an interesting side note, the owners of Château Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem bought land next door—clearly, Jeffrey is on to something. Today, Calluna’s wines are expertly crafted with balance and sense of place as a top priority, and the result is an undeniably pleasurable bottle of wine; Old World elegance with a Californian accent. This has not gone unnoticed by the critics: Calluna’s praise reaches far and wide, and the demand for their exquisitely built reds keep rising with each year. 



Although many producers in Napa and Sonoma craft wines from Bordeaux varieties, the majority shoot for longer hang time and jammy fruit, aging their wines in an abundance of new oak, which inevitably masks the varietal purity and voice of terroir. Jeffrey chooses to do things the old-school way—as in Bordeaux—and the critics have come calling with enthusiasm just the same. Today’s long-aged 2016 CVC is predominantly composed of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot rounding out the final quarter of the blend. The hand-harvested fruit is manually sorted and fermented in open-top tanks with a daily pump-over regimen for three weeks. The wine is then aged for 21 months in French oak barrels, 20% new, and is bottled unfiltered. 



This 2016 “Calluna Vineyards Cuvée” exhibits an opaque ruby-purple core and spills out a variety of serious, Bordeaux-like aromas: blackcurrant, boysenberry preserves, cacao nibs, leather, black raspberry liqueur, licorice, tobacco, graphite, and beautifully integrated baking spices. The full-bodied, deeply concentrated palate is simultaneously soft and firm, consisting of wonderfully pure dark fruit and “Left Bank” lift. More generous and supple than their flagship bottling, “CVC” is a perfect candidate for drinking over the next several years after a 30-60-minute decant. However, these wines are built to age: With proper storage, I could see this pushing well beyond 2030 and perhaps even into 2040! You're going to lose your mind over this incredible $35 collectible.  

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Country
United States
Region
Sonoma County
Sub-Region
United StatesChalk Hill AVA
Soil
Sandstone & Shale Over Volcanic
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Merlot 49%, Cabernet Sauvignon 26%, Cabernet Franc 10%, Malbec 8%, Petit Verdot 7%
Alcohol
14.3
OAK
20% New French
TEMP.
65
Glassware
Bordeaux Stem
Drinking
Now-2036
Decanting
30-60 Minutes
Pairing
Wine-Braised Beef w/ Mushrooms

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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