" We don't sell the wine without touching the vine "
Navigator Napa Valley Red Blend 2018
No longer available.
| Country: | United States |
| Regions: | California California (Napa) |
| Wineries: | Balius Winery Precision Wine Company |
| Grape Type: | Merlot |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2018 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
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Navigator Napa Valley Red Blend is made from 65% Merlot, 20% Petit Verdot, 15% Petite Sirah
Aromas and flavors of black cherry, black plum, cocoa and baking spice will take you at least 10 fathoms deep as you savor sip after sip. Now, all you have to do is find your latitude and longitude, plot your position, and open this wine!
Mascot is a small-production label founded by Will Harlan in Napa Valley. The wines under this label are made from the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory, but The Mascot bottles share an exclusive preview at the development of their estates. Founded as an initial experiment to see what the young vines were capable of producing, the wines were initially only shared with close friends and family. By 2008, Will officially released the first vintage to the public since production had increased significantly. They create just one wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and the bottle is aged for five years before release. Assembled into a single, youthful expression, this wine shares a glimpse into the evolution and pedigree of its parent estates.
Tasting Notes:
Following a vintage full of changing conditions and demanding decision points, the steady and pleasant progress of the 2018 vintage left our team, at times, in limbo. Contradictory as it may seem, the dramas that sometimes punctuate the definitive months for the growing season help to frame the winegrowing team’s course of action; yet the tranquil succession of weeks that emerged between spring and fall in 2018 left almost entirely open the question of when to harvest. Healthy rainfall in March and April preceded a benevolent summer, whose mildness was interrupted only briefly by a few warming periods. The fruit of the young vines maintained a measured balance that gave the team little indication that harvest was imminent. Fog and temperate days followed in September, when—relying more on instinct than empirical cues—we began to pick. This judgment—as well as the gentle nature of the season—is confirmed in the subtle, ethereal power of the vintage, which reveals itself first in the deep, brooding aromas of dark fruit, black tea, and herbal notes. The texture expands around a lifted structure, as powdery tannins gently resolve. This diffused, enigmatic softness is anchored on the mid-palate by a gratifying density, which prepares the senses for a flourish of hidden energy and vivid detail that illuminates the finish.
Mascot is a small-production label founded by Will Harlan in Napa Valley. The wines under this label are made from the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory, but The Mascot bottles share an exclusive preview at the development of their estates. Founded as an initial experiment to see what the young vines were capable of producing, the wines were initially only shared with close friends and family. By 2008, Will officially released the first vintage to the public since production had increased significantly. They create just one wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and the bottle is aged for five years before release. Assembled into a single, youthful expression, this wine shares a glimpse into the evolution and pedigree of its parent estates.
Tasting Notes:
Following a vintage full of changing conditions and demanding decision points, the steady and pleasant progress of the 2018 vintage left our team, at times, in limbo. Contradictory as it may seem, the dramas that sometimes punctuate the definitive months for the growing season help to frame the winegrowing team’s course of action; yet the tranquil succession of weeks that emerged between spring and fall in 2018 left almost entirely open the question of when to harvest. Healthy rainfall in March and April preceded a benevolent summer, whose mildness was interrupted only briefly by a few warming periods. The fruit of the young vines maintained a measured balance that gave the team little indication that harvest was imminent. Fog and temperate days followed in September, when—relying more on instinct than empirical cues—we began to pick. This judgment—as well as the gentle nature of the season—is confirmed in the subtle, ethereal power of the vintage, which reveals itself first in the deep, brooding aromas of dark fruit, black tea, and herbal notes. The texture expands around a lifted structure, as powdery tannins gently resolve. This diffused, enigmatic softness is anchored on the mid-palate by a gratifying density, which prepares the senses for a flourish of hidden energy and vivid detail that illuminates the finish.
Black Stallion Napa Valley Limited Release Red.
The winery takes its name from a major equestrian area that once occupied the grounds. Its calling card is Cabernet Sauvignon, made in a classic Napa Valley style that offers richness and finesse. While single-vineyard wines are occasionally bottled, most Black Stallion wines are made from small lots cherry-picked from the valley’s disparate winegrowing zones. These are then painstakingly blended to create luxurious, unforgettable wines that capture the depth and brilliance of Napa Valley’s diverse growing regions.
Review:
This blend is softly layered in dense, rich tones of plum and cherry, with a rounded approachability and well-integrated tannin and oak. Chocolate, leather and clove accent the finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 90 Points
is made from 74% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
Tasting Notes
“This Bordeaux-style blend highlights the incredible selection of estate vineyards at my fingertips and vineyards from a wide range of Napa Valley. A vibrant, elegant red wine, it delivers intricate aromas of floral notes, crushed flowers, blueberry compote, ripe cranberry and violets on the nose. Rustic and course layered flavors of dark fruit and creamy black fruit are revealed across a multi-layered palate, framed by fuzzy tannins, a voluptuous mouthfeel and a long, spicy, chewy finish.”
Vineyard Notes
This wine is sustainably sourced from several of our prime estate vineyards throughout the Napa Valley. In crafting this blend, we hand select barrels of Malbec from both our Haystack Vineyard in the Atlas Peak AVA and Cloud’s Nest Vineyard in the Mount Veeder AVA, two high-elevation regions in Napa Valley. The Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot come from our Central Park West Vineyard in St. Helena and the Merlot comes from Vera’s Vineyard in South Napa.
Winemaker Notes
The 2014 growing season in Napa Valley was preceded by an exceptionally dry winter which also included some of the coldest days on record. It began with an early bud-break, followed by a mild spring and rain early on in the season. It was an early season from bud-break to veraison to harvest, with an unexpected earthquake in late August, and some hail in late September, to keep the winemakers on their toes. All in all, 2014 delivered a vintage of exceptional quality.
Review:
Made from a majority of Malbec, with smaller additions of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah, this wine is black as night, tart and taut in texture. A dizzying array of violet, garrigue and lavender give it an exotic element that's inviting against a full-bodied backdrop, finished in gunpowder and cigar box. - Wine Enthusiast 91 Points
Red Phoenix Red Blend is made from 57% Zinfandel; 14% Petit Verdot; 12% Petite Sirah; 7% Syrah; 5% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
With European origins dating back centuries ago, blended red wine is once again having its day in the sun. Red Phoenix Red Wine Blend represents the essence of this well-deserved resurgence. Unbound by a single varietal or appellation, and given more flexibility with vintages, winemaker Joseph Smith skillfully showcases six distinct varietals in this luscious and layered wine. Unlike traditional red blends, Red Phoenix is both barrel aged and barrel fermented, adding structure, balance, and a new dimension to a wine that is rooted in tradition and soars on the palate.
APPELLATION
75% of the fruit is coming from Lodi AVA, while the remaining 25% are Napa Valley AVA's fruits.
Coastal aromas of fresh fruit and lush florals coupled with a deep ruby color intrigue the senses. Bright, bold flavors of cherry and blackberry ascend on the palate while showcasing subtle, smooth tannins. The wine crescendos with anise, chocolate and toasted oak, offering depth and complexity, as velvety flavors continue to linger and evolve throughout the long, rich finish.
Review:
"This rich, velvety, mature and full-bodied wine was made from 93°/o Cabernet Sauvignon. Concentrated blackberry and blueberry flavors are generously accented by milk chocolate. While rather tannic, the mouthfeel is full but not tight. -J.G. "
- Wine Enthusiast (November 2022), 90 pts
Product Description
Navigator Napa Valley Red Blend is made from 65% Merlot, 20% Petit Verdot, 15% Petite Sirah
Aromas and flavors of black cherry, black plum, cocoa and baking spice will take you at least 10 fathoms deep as you savor sip after sip. Now, all you have to do is find your latitude and longitude, plot your position, and open this wine!
Winery: Balius Winery
Balius Story:
Achilles and his two immortal horses, Balius and Xanthos, were legendary and heroic figures on the battlefields of ancient Greece.
The warrior and his fearless horses were often depicted with black paint on clay wine vessels, or amphorae, as a celebration of their heroic triumphs.
The Balius label is our nod to the fabled heroes represented by the black figure pottery of ancient Greece, and all of our Balius wines are reflections of the world-renowned appellations throughout California.
Trevor Sheehan spent nearly 10 years collecting and trading some of the world’s finest wines and learning from masters of winemaking in Bordeaux and Burgundy before he decided to create his own value-based brands that showcase the unique characteristics of California wine regions. Trevor was first exposed to wine while he was at college in his native Texas and developed a taste for Burgundy which he started collecting. He began selling wine wholesale and eventually created Balius from 400 cases of Oakville Cabernet that wasn’t selling. In 2010, Trevor left Dallas and accounting for wine country and moved to Napa; here he founded Precision Wine Company. As the name suggests, Precision Wine Company is focused on attention to detail and precise commitment to quality by presenting a distinguished collection of wines (they showcase 46 brands, majorly for private customers) which express the complex and delicious California wine country flavors.
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Review:
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