Volker Eisele Family Estate
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon
Chiles Valley District AVA
Auction 17 | Lot No. 122
Vintage: 2011
Volker Eisele Family Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chiles Valley District
5 cases produced
Description
For this year's Premiere, we were able to utilize grapes that have special significance to us. Around 1880, Francis Siever, the founder of our property, cleared a small canyon with a northwestern exposure not far from the house, and planted it to grapes. This block was given up after Prohibition. We returned it to production in 1983, but in 1993, this field was devastated by phylloxera. Nineteen years later, the first half of the block has reached full maturity and exhibits incredible quality. So for Premiere Napa Valley, we offer a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, clone See, from this block. Its depth and elegance combine to produce wonderful fruit and tannins. This is a wine clearly for aging.
Wine Facts
- Single vineyard wine
- Organically produced (also commonly called "organically grown")
- Wine is 100% estate grown and bottled
Tasting Chart
| bone dry | very sweet | |
| light body | very full bodied | |
| soft, gentle |
|
very crisp |
| no tannins | heavy tannins | |
 |
John McKay
Winemaker, Volker Eisele Family Estate
John McKay brings 38 years of winemaking experience to Volker Eisele Family Estate. For many years, he has been at the forefront of his profession, implementing new winemaking techniques that were heretofore unknown in California. In the 1980s, he pioneered the now-common practice of "sur lie” aging of barrel-fermented white wines. He was the first to use Semillon as a blending component with Sauvignon Blanc to make wines of great complexity and distinction in the typical Bordeaux style. Volker Eisele Family Estate continues this practice with our Gemini. With red wines, McKay has instituted the use of extended maceration during fermentation for more suppleness and depth of character. It is now applied to both the Volker Eisele Family Estate Cabernet and to our Terzetto. Before joining Volker Eisele Family Estate in 2000, McKay worked with some of California's most influential consulting winemakers, including Helen Turley, Heidi Peterson Barrett, Paul Hobbs and Merry Edwards. We were delighted when he agreed to work with us.
Country born: United States
Education: Degree from UC DAVIS. SEE BIO
Years in the wine industry: 30+ years
Winemaking Philosophy:
The vineyard is the key.
United Distributors Inc.
1430 Wilford Drive
Atlanta GA 30319
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from United Distributors Inc.:
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volker Eisele Family Estate | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Chiles Valley District | 17 (2013) |
Winery Distribution
Volker Eisele Family Estate is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Domestic:
- California (Gravitas)
International:
- Germany (Weinkontor Freund)