The 2025 Napa Valley vintage was shaped by a mild, steady growing season and perfectly timed harvest. Moderate temperatures and a lack of prolonged heat allowed grapes to ripen slowly, preserving freshness and delicate aromatics. Extended hang time led to optimal balance of tannins, color, and flavor, while sugars rose gradually without loss of natural acidity. Careful coordination around a few late rain events ensured each block was picked at peak ripeness, with the final grapes arriving on October 24th.

Our Viognier begins with hand-harvested grapes, whole-cluster pressed and held overnight for subtle skin contact to enhance texture. After a cool fermentation start in tank, the juice finishes fermenting in neutral French oak barrels, adding richness and polish. The resulting wine is beautifully aromatic—jasmine flowers, lemon zest, and minerality—with a rounded, textured palate and bright acidity that brings freshness and length to the finish.

The 2024 vintage concluded with the final grapes harvested on October 18, following a season of healthy rainfall and well-developed canopies. Bud break started in late March and finished in early April across the North Coast. Harvest began on August 21 with Sauvignon Blanc, followed by reds like Grenache and Pinot Noir as mild weather allowed for a smooth progression. A few mid-summer heat spells advanced ripening, leading to beautifully ripe fruit with balanced acidity and freshness. Charbono was hand picked in mid-October at Meyer Vineyard in Calistoga, just as the tannins softened, and fermentation lasted nine days to extract deep color while preserving a soft yet structured palate. The wine was then aged in a mix of 39% new French and American oak for added complexity.

On the nose, this Charbono offers rich aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, mocha, cocoa nibs, cola, licorice, and earthy, bramble notes. The palate is soft and lean, layered with dark fruits, graphite-like minerality, plummy depth, and hints of coffee, apricot skin, and black stones. A beautifully balanced mouthfeel and elegant oak frame the finish, resulting in a wine that is both bright and fresh, with texture and complexity to enjoy now or cellar for further development.