Description
Newfound, “Scaggs Vineyard” Grenache
It’s especially gratifying to discover a “new” wine producer operating at a masterful level out of the gate, even more so when it’s a small Rhône goldmine in our own backyard. Matt and Audra Naumann, the couple behind Newfound Wines, recently went “prospecting” for top-quality fruit high up Napa Valley’s Mount Veeder, and discovered 2.2 acres of grapes not often seen in these parts—Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise. They began bottling small portions of each, and one taste of their pure, groundbreaking, and highly sophisticated Grenache moved us immensely.
With memories of iconic Old World styles (Châteauneuf-du-Pape; Priorat) dancing in our heads, we couldn’t stop talking about Newfound’s 2017, and couldn’t wait to offer it, either. Well, the time has come, and if you’re in the mood for a total paradigm shift, this sumptuous red is a perfect choice: It starts with a big smile at the first scent of intense perfume and, after tasting, prompts the question: How many vintages are we going to be drinking if this (nearing the apex) is the starting point?
Matt and Audra have captured the spirit of what might be called the “other Napa Valley”: lesser-known grape varieties utilizing hands-on farming, small production levels, site-specific fruit sources, and minimal intervention in the cellar. Both are wine industry veterans, having worked in almost every capacity in the business. Most recently, Matt helped run Failla Wines, where he learned from the great Ehren Jordan. It was there that the dream of making his own wines took hold. It would take the fortuitous meeting of famed musician Boz Scaggs, leading to the opportunity to take over management of Scaggs’ eponymous vineyard, that would help to make this dream a reality.
The vineyard is perched at an elevation of 1,100 feet in the northern portion of the Mount Veeder AVA—the southern section of the Mayacamas Range, the mountainous spine that separates Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Unlike the other “mountain AVAs” of Napa, Mount Veeder is exposed to cool air from San Pablo Bay to the south, helping to give it the longest growing season in Napa Valley. Back in 1998, Scaggs veered off the traditional Napa Valley course and planted varieties most readily associated with France’s southern Rhône: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Counoise. The picturesque 2.2-acre site faces east and drops by 300 vertical feet from top to bottom.
The soils here, including sandstone, shale, Aiken loam and volcanic material, are remnants of an ancient high-valley lake. The vineyard has been farmed organically since its planting and was a huge factor in Matt and Audra choosing to take over the farming and management of the site in 2016 for Newfound. For making the wine, Matt subscribes to the philosophy that less is more. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts, with 50% whole cluster inclusion, and left on the skins for 18 days. After that, it was aged 11 months in neutral Burgundy barrels, allowing the terroir of the site to shine through.
In the glass, Newfound’s ’17 is a deep but translucent ruby/garnet, turning ever so slightly pink at the rim. The aromas are pure Grenache with an alluring combination of ripe raspberries, fresh cherry, dried flowers, damp forest floor with subtle undertones of warm baking spice. The wine is open and ripe on the palate from the jump, with medium body, smooth tannins, and slightly spicy finish—a balanced, perfumed, cool-climate expression of a hot-climate grape! This wine begs for some grilled meat, like kebobs or a hanger steak. Alternatively, the combination of sweet fruit and spice box aromas lend itself perfectly to a lamb tagine. After decanting for an hour, this wine will start to its full breadth of character. Serve it in Bordeaux stems at 60 degrees and enjoy this exciting new discovery. The next question is: What else do they make?
