Benessere
2014 Red Wine
"Cabernet Sauvignon / Aglianico Blend"
St. Helena AVA
Auction 20 | Lot No. 157
Vintage: 2014
Benessere
Red Wine
St. Helena
5 cases produced
Highlights
- A unique estate blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon (Clones 6 and 337) and 10% Aglianico
- The Aglianico component enhances the aromatic complexity with notes of huckleberry, blueberry and sandalwood
- Features the only Aglianico grown in the Napa Valley, showcasing a Napa Valley-grown Italian variety
- Aged for 18 months in new French oak serving to heighten notes of blackberry, cassis, cedar and mocha
Description
This rare expression of Napa Valley winemaking is one of only 60 bottles that will ever be made. Think of it as a bit of Napa Valley history in your cellar and celebrated in a glass with friends and family.
Your Premire Napa Valley wine is a unique Benesserre estate blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon (Clones 6 and 337) and 10% Aglianico. The Aglianico component enhances the aromatic complexity with notes of huckleberry, blueberry and sandalwood. This wine features the only Aglianico grown in the Napa Valley, showcasing a Napa Valley-grown Italian variety. Aging for 18 months in new French oak serves to heighten notes of blackberry, cassis, cedar and mocha.
Wine Facts
- Wine is unfiltered
- Sustainably produced
- Wine is 100% estate grown and bottled
Matt Reid
Winemaker, Benessere
Making wine is a joy. I was slow to choose a career path because my interests are so diverse. Winemaking allows me to synthesize botany, ecology, fermentation, nature, and art. What could be better?
Napa Valley winemakers are particularly lucky in the grape varieties we can work with. Napa's varied climate and soils allow an incredible range of varieties not only to ripen here but to rank among the best examples of those varieties in the world. I am luckier still at Benessere, because we grow and work with varieties that are uncommon at best in Napa Valley, such as Sangiovese, and extremely rare, such as Sagrantino and Aglianico.
I am continually delighted and amazed at the quality of the grapes we grow. Most winemakers say their goal is to pick great fruit and get out of the way. This self-effacing statement is a convenient fiction that we imagine the public wants to hear. The excellent grapes that I work with at Benessere give me a running start on making great wine, but it still requires skill and creativity on my part to make sure the wines reach their fullest potential. This kind of challenge is precisely what makes this job so much fun.
Country born: United States
Education: M.S. Viticulture & Enology, UC-Davis, 2003
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Winemaking Philosophy:
I make wine because I love it, it makes me happy, and I want to share that happiness. I hope that when you drink our Benessere wines the love and happiness they contain are conveyed to you.
The News Room
990 Nicollet Mall Drive
Minneapolis MN 55403
612-343-0073
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from The News Room:
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. McClelland Cellars | 2016 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | A Clonal Examination | 23 (2019) |
| Benessere | 2014 | Red Wine | St. Helena | Cabernet Sauvignon / Aglianico Blend | 20 (2016) |
| Mi Sueño Winery | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coombsville | Selección Herrera | 19 (2015) |
| Dos Lagos Vineyards | 2012 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Atlas Peak | 18 (2014) | |
| Freemark Abbey | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | Van Z Ranch | 17 (2013) |
| Detert Family Vineyards | 2010 | Cabernet Franc | Oakville | East Block 30-Year-Old Vines | 16 (2012) |
| Schweiger Vineyards | 2008 | Red Wine | Spring Mountain District | M | 15 (2011) |
Winery Distribution
Benessere 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:
- Arizona (Blazer Beverage)
- Texas (Swallow Wines)