Burly Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Simkins Vineyard, Coombsville, Napa Valley, California

The name for Burly originates from founder Hank McCrorie’s college football days, when he was dubbed ‘Burly Bear’ by the local paper. The nickname stuck among his teammates and given the bold nature of this wine, is more than a befitting tribute. The oak tree display on the label is not only a symbol connecting the McCrorie’s childhoods – Hank growing up surrounded by the beautiful southern live oaks of North Carolina and Bernice the sprawling live oak trees at the family ranch in Northern California – but also embodies the intrinsic flavors of tannins and oak, balanced by the beauty of its velvety, rich and flavorful layers. The Cabernet grapes for this wine came from The Simpkins Vineyard in the Coombsivlle area just east of the city of Napa. The vineyard, although staying warm and dry, is generally a little cooler than many Napa Valley vineyards and therefore allows more hang-time for the grapes. This brings greater concentration and layering to the finished wine. The vineyard soil is rocky loam which provides good drainage and low nutrient concentration. Under these stresses, the vines work hard to produce a limited amount of fruit. Tasting Notes: Aromas of cassis and blackberries meld seamlessly with notes of chocolate, and anise. The rich, plush mouthfeel elegantly transforms into sweetness by supple tannins and lovely oak integration. A wonderful mineral note shines through the whole experience. Layered, complex, and lingering, a true wine drinking experience. Wonderful now, this wine will benefit from further bottle aging reaching its peak in 5 to 7 years but drinkable for 10 years. Making the wine: The grapes came in small-berried, deep black-blue and loose on the clusters. Following a five day cold soak, the fermentation took seven days followed by fourteen days extended maceration. After which the wine was pressed and transferred to small French Oak barrels for aging. The wine was bottled in summer 2021 after twenty months of maturation in barrel and further aged in bottles for two additional years.