"Last Man Standing"
2009 Red Wine
St. Helena
After a surfeit of mediocre wines in the nineties led would-be imitators of classic Tuscan blends to hide their faces in shame, Benessere was one of the “last men standing,” producing rich, complex blends that Napa Valley could be proud of. For Premiere Napa Valley 2011, we’ve blended Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6 and Sangiovese Brunellone, plus secret components we’ll tell you about at the tasting. Like classic Old-World blends, Last Man Standing unites enchanting red and black fruit aromas with deep flavors and remarkable finesse.
Aged 18 to 22 months in new French oak and seasoned French and American. Racked quarterly and topped monthly. Unfined and unfiltered.
bone dry |
![]() |
very sweet |
light body |
![]() |
very full bodied |
soft, gentle |
![]() |
very crisp |
no tannins |
![]() |
heavy tannins |
![]() |
Winemaker, Benessere
Jack Stuart was general manager and winemaster of Napa Valley’s Silverado Vineyards for 25 years. He established Silverado as a national brand known for the quality of its wines. He directed four major winery building projects and developed seven different vineyard properties in Napa and Sonoma counties.
Active in industry affairs, Jack Stuart is past president of both the Napa Valley Vintners and the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association; he is co-founder of the North Coast Pierce’s Disease Task Force. Stuart was instrumental in the development and passage of two important industry bills in the state legislature. He sits on the Enology Committee of the American Vineyard Foundation and chairs the Projects Committee of the Land Trust of Napa County.
Country born: United States
Education: He received a bachelor’s degree from Stanford and took his graduate study in viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis
Years in the wine industry: 30+ years
Honors / Awards:
Stuart was the first American to receive the Robert Mondavi Trophy for Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London.
Winemaking Philosophy:
There’s been a big fad for very highly extracted, high alcohol wines that I think has turned off a lot of people. There are graceful wines coming out of Napa these days, but when you read the press or when you read the promotional material for various wineries you don’t hear that word very much. Wine is mostly intended as part of a meal, if you’re lucky enough to be able to cook a nice one at home or go out to a nice restaurant with a good bottle of wine, it’s a component of a wonderful, social, and familial experience: the company, the food, the wine, are a part of a very lovely experience where everything works well with everything else.
Q: Premiere Napa Valley wines are innovative and allow each winery to showcase the region's sense of exploration in fine winemaking. What kind of exploration did your Premiere Napa Valley wine allow you to do?
A: Blending is the highest form of the winemaker's art, and every blend is an exploration, with unexpected turnings, dead-ends, and delightful surprises. Making "Last Man Standing" led me to discover where the unpredictable harmonies of rare clones of classic varieties lie.
1421 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica CA 90403
310-393-2888
Premiere Napa Valley Wine Collection
Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bougetz Cellars | 2016 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain District | 22 | |
Adler Deutsch Vineyard | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | ADV | 17 |
Benessere Vineyards | 2009 | Red Wine | St. Helena | "Last Man Standing" | 15 |
Tetra | 2009 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | ARTET | 15 |
Swanson Vineyards | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 14 | |
von Strasser Winery | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Diamond Mountain District | Rudy's Choice | 14 |
Cardinale | 2005 | Merlot | Howell Mountain | 11 | |
Carter Cellars | 2006 | 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot | Napa Valley | 11 | |
Etude | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Vine Hill | 11 |
Frog's Leap | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Rutherford | 11 |
Oakville Ranch Vineyards | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Callum's Select | 11 |
Spring Mountain Vineyard | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain District | Destiny and Fortune Block 8 Estate Bottled | 11 |
StoneFly Vineyard | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Atlas Peak | 11 | |
Turnbull Wine Cellars | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Red Soils Red | 11 |
Oakville Ranch Vineyards | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Vista East | 10 |
St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Premier Napa Valley | 10 |
Groth Vineyards and Winery | 2003 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 9 | |
Phelan Vineyard | 2003 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 9 |
2023 © Napa Valley Vintners All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement