“Preface” isn’t your standard luxury red. It’s an intimate creation by Bordeaux and Napa winemaking legend Philippe Melka, the same superstar who’s had his hands in cult labels such as Pétrus, Dominus, and Haut-Brion—wines that cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. But up here on the western slopes of Mayacamas, deep in the world-famous, Napa-adjacent Alexander Valley, Melka and the Skipstone team decided to flip the script by crafting a Certified Organic, deeply hedonistic Bordeaux blend that costs 2.5x less than their flagship label.
They haven’t sacrificed an ounce of quality, either: Skipstone’s 2018 “Preface,” driven by Cabernet Sauvignon, comes from a hand-picked selection of French barrels that were originally destined for their top-tier $165+ cuvée. I must reiterate just how much value you’re getting at this almost-too-generous price: Melka is a Bordeaux-blending legend who has extensive experience crafting the world’s top red wines; Alexander Valley is a globally renowned terroir; and this 2018 further proves their dominance in the highly buzzed-about “second label” arena. But, really, I prefer to discard the term “second” altogether because “Preface” oozes first-class pedigree all the way.
Being “culty'' is not the focus at Skipstone. What comes first is utmost respect for the earth, followed by the unrivaled winemaking expertise of Melka, a man who everyone would enlist if there were enough hours in the day. But even if Skipstone doesn’t consider this heart-stopping wine a “Cult Cab,” it sure does feel like one: It has the exclusivity, the star-studded cast, the opulent feel, and that extraordinary ability to bring a quiet over the dinner table.
Fahri Diner and his wife, Constance, purchased Skipstone Ranch in 2001 and immediately set to work making world-class wine as naturally as possible. Skipstone is Certified Organic through CCOF and they operate accordingly: “Nothing stands above our devoted partnership with the earth. This is more than a commitment to the vineyard and quality of our fruit, we believe it’s the right thing to do for our planet and future generations.” They don’t say this lightly either: Skipstone welcomes insects and predatory birds, uses organic compost, plants cover crops (oats, peas, beans), and eschews chemicals of any form. They also make olive oil—Fahri is a proud Cypriot—and an impressive sparkling wine with the help of Champagne Blanc de Blancs extraordinaire Diebolt-Vallois.
Skipstone’s 200-acre property is planted to 30 acres of vines in curving valleys and steep hillsides within Alexander Valley—an AVA just a short drive northwest of Napa. There’s a dizzying number of soils, elevations, and temperature swings throughout their holdings, and these microclimates can make for some meticulous farming and hectic harvest schedules. Despite the chaos, Skipstone’s dedicated team somehow turns out a pristine, Certified Organic crop every year, and now their sights are set on biodynamics.
The grapes in 2018 were hand-harvested at night to ensure cool temperature and avoid premature fermentation. At the cellar, the juice was left in contact with its skins for one month prior to being transferred into a battery of French oak barrels, 30% new, for 18 months. It should be noted that “Preface” comes from the same organic estate fruit that supplies their $165 bottling—the difference is that Melka simply deemed certain barrels more accessible and inviting than others. These selected barrels were then blended together (66% Cab Sauv, 19% Merlot, 9% Malbec, 6% Cab Franc) to create today’s affordable luxury red! Bottling occurred without fining or filtering.
If you bought the inaugural ’17 vintage of “Preface,'' you may recall that it was a sleek, lush Merlot-dominant blend (they had to forego most of their Cabernet crop due to wildfire). This is an incredibly different wine. Still richly textured and opulent, sure, but darker and firmer thanks to Cab Sauv playing the lead role with Malbec, Merlot, and Cab Franc lending their talents as a strong supporting cast. Furthermore, the new oak presence has been dialed back and the ’18 vintage brought more acidity and freshness so the overall impression here is a deeper, nuanced, and more structured Bordeaux blend, i.e. a breathtakingly powerful red in line with Pauillac titans like Lynch-Bages. The full-bodied palate bursts with cassis, black raspberry liqueur, black cherry, charred violets, crushed black stone, cedar box, tobacco leaf, lead, and various baking spices. Give it no less than 60 minutes in a decanter if drinking over the next two years and serve in large Bordeaux stems. Your other bottles will keep through 2030. Cheers!
