Today, Napa Valley superstar Mia Klein is sharing a remarkable library wine from her cellar. You may already know Mia from the well-deserved acclaim she received as winemaker for Dalla Valle, where she created their celebrated Maya. While she has also consulted for some of Napa’s most sought-after names, this wine is her true labor of love. A passion project founded in 1991, her Selene label produces Chesler - an homage to Cheval Blanc from Bordeaux’s right bank. Rarely seen outside carefully curated wine lists and a handful of retailers, Mia produces only a small amount of this wine.
An incredibly talented woman with a dynamic, finely-tuned palate, she innately understands the ideal balance of the Valley and consistently delivers lush, generous offerings that are neither overdone nor out of sync; at ten years of age, this charmer still has ten years ahead of it. With a perfect combination of fruit and structure that’s as rare as its very modest price point, the 2006 Chesler delivers wall-to-wall concentration and richness, with the ideal balance that will charm lovers of the old world and new alike.
The 2006 Chesler displays a dark, garnet-red core, with light purple reflections throughout. The only thing that hints at the decade of aging on this wine is its complexity. The nose still retains its youthful vibrancy and is no way tired or even close to over the hill-in fact, this wine is still ascending to its peak. With gently ripened red plum, red cherry, cassis and a touch of dried violet infused with dried red tobacco, leather, the soft influence of thyme and various green herbs, cacao powder and exotic spices, the aromatics on the nose are a magical expression of the Napa Valley. The near full-bodied palate has a soft tannic structure that glides across the tongue and achieves beautiful elegance. Flavors of red plum, red cherry, raspberry and red currant unfold to reveal mouthwatering notes of sandalwood, thyme, brown sugar and exotic spices from perfectly integrated new French oak. This wine is a pleasure to drink now but will easily gain momentum over the next 5-10 years in your cellar. Serve at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems and prepare yourself for something truly special.