Vintage Notes

• 2020

  Growing Season

  An almost rainless winter ushered in the 2020 growing season. In all, we received just over four inches of precipitation from January to budbreak, which occurred on March 26th in the highest, west-facing plots. Summer was punctuated by several significant warming events in August and September, bringing about one of our earliest harvests to date. This timing was occasioned by the drought conditions but was also made possible by the deepening maturity of the vineyards. Over the last fifteen years, as a result of the progress we have made in our farming, our vines increasingly have demonstrated an inclination to refine tannin and achieve textural ripeness earlier in the annual cycle. Picking began on August 26th and concluded on September 21st, after 96 passes. The completion date was a critical one for the vintage; we feel fortunate to have fully completed our harvest before the devastating Glass Fire began in late September.

  Tasting Notes

  Despite an eventful vintage, the wine initially imparts an outward calm that emanates, on the nose, from its cool minerality. A quiet reserve defines the approach, in which gentle traces of wet stone, and mist-steeped forest softly draw the imagination closer to the surface—and then, beneath it. This is an inward journey, a descent into the wine, which asks time in the glass for discovery of its dimensions folded within. Here, deeper down, a luminous vibrancy gradually reveals the whole. An absence of extraneous ornament allows crisp acidity and fine tannins to frame a crystalline translation of the character of this untamed place. The wine’s composed, elegant clarity, born of the vines’ own wisdom, represents an inflection point—a brief moment of illumination—in our enduring pledge to unlock the hidden intrinsics of the territory.  

• 2019

  Growing Season

  A succession of cold, heavy rain showers christened the 2019 growing season. This damp winter—concentrated in February—persisted through April and even extended its influence, sporadically, into May. The chilly weather delayed budbreak by two weeks, with subsequent temperatures favoring the milder end of the scale until late June, when the first of several warming events marked the advent of a variable summer. Notable crests of warmth in July and August peaked briefly before descending into longer troughs of cooling moderation. The changeability of the weather, however, proved an advantage. Ample soil moisture encouraged canopy growth, which, with the cooler climate of the territory, in turn protected the fruit during the short intervals of heat, ensuring a balanced and gradual ripening curve. Picking began on September 23rd and was completed on October 17th, after 81 passes.

  Tasting Notes

  The rainy prelude to the growing season is reflected vividly in the 2019 vintage, whose syncopated tempos, lively flashes, and cool depths conjure images of water in various states. Aromatically, the wine carries hints of moisture wicked from the boughs of the forest—redolent of misty mineral balm. An evanescent glimpse of ripeness awakens the palate, then dissolves into to a current of energy that, at points in its progress, lingers in pools and eddies of sensation. Tension wells up within brisk acidity and resolute tannins, which converge—retreating only gradually across a bright finish. Each sip hovers evocatively, like a gentle diffusion of light through vapor.

• 2018

  Growing Season

  The beginning of the season sometimes foreshadows the remainder, but this was not the case in 2018. An unusually warm winter leading into the growing season prepared the vines for budbreak in mid-February. This anomaly of warmth came abruptly to a halt at the end of the month, when 10 to 12 inches of rain fell by the start of April, returning conditions within the territory to their cool average. Moderate temperatures ushered in a consistently mild summer of fair days, cool nights, and blankets of fog; allowing the vines to ripen their clusters slowly and evenly. Although harvest began on September 10th, the activity was gradual and deliberate, consisting of 95 passes, the last of which took place on October 23rd, making the 2018 harvest one of our longest.

  Tasting Notes

  Just after fermentation, the 2018 vintage of Promontory already reflected the gentle, extended growing season, showing uncommonly detailed tannins. During its many months in the cellar, the wine has retained its effusive brightness and fresh acidity while continuing to acquire elevated nuance and bringing forward its many facets. Blue-fruit aromas, as well as pleasantly resinous qualities, accompany a fresh, cool note that rises to greet the nose. The wine’s lifted and profound dimension emanate outward from a center of almost ethereal form. Although the fine-grained tannins introduce an element of restraint to this translucent radiancy, the intrinsic nobility of this wine persists at each stage of its measured procession across the palate to the finish.

• 2017

  Growing Season

  The year began with a generous amount of rain during the months of January and February, bringing welcome moisture that led to an even budbreak on March 31st. The season progressed regularly through the weeks of May; however, between mid-June and the beginning of July, the first and milder of two warming events took place. The cooler conditions that naturally prevail in the territory enabled the vines to weather this first occurrence easily. The September warm spell, which emerged around Labor Day, was more significant, given the proximity to harvest. The vines transpired a significant amount of water, with a consequent increase of sugar concentration in the berries. This circumstance, though one of concern, proved—like so many others—a learning experience for the winegrowing team. During the next 10 to 14 days after the temperature spike, the vines recovered their natural physiology with an unusual regression of the sugar levels, while preserving a brighter-than-expected acidity. Impressed by this fresh balance, we began harvesting on September 14th and continued until October 8th, when wildfire interrupted our work. At that time, 75 percent of the fruit, comprising 52 passes, had arrived safely at the winery; none collected after that date was considered for inclusion, resulting in an overall smaller vintage.

  Tasting Notes

  The 2017 Promontory shares with predecessors an elusive scent of wet stones—though here, a minty, herbal note also rises from this mist. Subtle hints of red fruit cloak the wine’s finely articulated structure, overlaying a spine of acidity and chiseled tension. Energy livens the midpalate, almost like an electrical impulse, as the tannin—tightly coiled at first—gradually unwinds to reveal on the finish the delicate complexity of its many component strands. Although the 2017 is among the more introverted vintages to date, the patient listener is soon drawn into the entrancing interplay of the wine’s translucent layers.

• 2016

  Growing Season

  After five years of drought, the winter leading into vintage 2016 brought with it generous and much- welcomed rainfall. Budbreak at Promontory began on March 15th, and the growing season proved highly favorable; mild temperatures were punctuated by a few stretches of more marked warmth throughout June and July. The comparatively cool temperatures at the territory—in conjunction with the dynamic movement of fog, interspersed with sunshine throughout the late-summer months—extended ripening, making 2016 one of the longest seasons to date. A healthy amplitude in diurnal temperatures gently coaxed the fruit towards vibrancy and ripeness, with harvest beginning on September 12th. The 2016 harvest consisted of sixty-four distinct passes, with the upper ridgeline blocks ripening first, followed by those planted on metamorphic soils further down our east-facing slope.

  Tasting Notes

  Initially subtle, aromas of wet rock along with native flora and lichen emerge vividly, mingling with airy notes of the forest canopy. Wrapped in extremely fine tannin, the structure of this vintage evokes the image of a cathedral: intricate stone, cool to the touch, draws attention upward to soaring arches filled with light. The flow over the palate is elevated by this luminous, detailed structure, to where the wine feels almost weightless. As we are finding to be typical of Promontory, a mineral drive sustains and focuses its path into a lasting finish. Even now, the 2016 vintage achieves a natural elegance, while its energy and stature promise a long and storied lifetime ahead.

• 2015

  Growing Season

  After a dry and unusually warm winter, budbreak occurred in the third week of March, indicating an early beginning for the 2015 growing season. Colder weather during flowering led to lower fruit set, which, along with minimal rainfall throughout the previous three years, resulted in small yields. In late summer, several heat spells nudged temperatures above 100 degrees. These incidences were particularly challenging during August and September, and so the vines needed to use all available resources to maintain a regular ripening path. Harvest began very early—September 8th—but the cool climate of the territory tempered trajectories, allowing us to continue harvesting for four weeks. Nearly fifty-four harvest passes were completed, resulting in forty distinct vinifications. The wine showed generosity and balance from the beginning, while maintaining the innate drive so typical of Promontory.

  Tasting Notes

  Deep red in the glass, the 2015 Promontory exhibits luminous nuance along the rim. Vivid on the nose, fresh notes of red fruits are surrounded by the characteristic scents of our territory: wet stone, graphite, lichen, and subtle laurel. The entry is gentle and elegant, building naturally into a lively and generous mid-palate. Tannins are voluminous yet gain definition as they flow along the palate, lending strength and length to the wine. Despite its youth, the wine allows itself to be appreciated without hiding its latent potential—a promise for future decades.

• 2014

  Growing Season

  After a somewhat dry winter, budbreak on March 18th marked an early start of the growing season at Promontory. The year continued with consistency; summer was warm and even, devoid of cold extremes, and with no days that exceeded 100°F. After the earthquake on August 24th, seasonal creeks and streams that had long been dry began to flow once again. We noticed a subtle change in the vines, which grew more vibrant and youthful as autumn approached. While the rest of the valley was experiencing an early harvest, the cooler climate of the territory tempered the ripening process and set the stage for one of our longer growing seasons to date, second only to 2011. Harvest started slowly on September 10th in the higher-elevation, west-facing blocks and continued two weeks later with lower blocks planted on volcanic soil. Lastly, on October 11th we began picking Promontory’s east-facing blocks planted on metamorphic soil. As has become customary, given the diversity of the territory, nearly 52 harvest passes were made, resulting in 33 distinct fermentations. During vinification the extraction came gently, yielding wines with lively acidity and depth of character.

  Tasting Notes

  The appearance is deep red with a brilliant reflection along the rim. On the nose, hints of graphite, wet stone, and fresh spices interplay with a fruit component that brings notes of fresh, dark berries, notably cassis. The wine begins with precision and tension, as mineral acidity drives linearly from the front to the back of the palate. The tannins, gaining definition, are harmoniously integrated with the density and freshness of the fruit, creating a long and vibrant finale. Elegance and controlled strength are wrapped in the now-familiar structure of Promontory, resulting in a wine with an athletic balance that will drink beautifully over the next 50-plus years.

• 2013

  Growing Season

  Only four inches of rain had fallen from January until the first week in April, when budbreak occurred. While the 2013 vintage will be remembered as an early year, here at Promontory harvest didn’t begin until late September due to the cool air and frequent fog that circulate within the territory. Yields were smaller than average, and ripeness was reached within ideal and measured conditions - allowing us to capture the essence of each block without haste. We harvested the first blocks on September 25th starting with the western ridge, then continued on to the east facing slopes of metamorphic formations and ended October 15th with the lower volcanic blocks. Due to the complexity of soil, exposure, and elevation, nearly 42 passes were made resulting in 30 distinct vinifications. These aged independently in barrel for almost a year before blending, and then entered the large Austrian oak casks to finish aging over the next few years. The solid core of the final blend retained a characteristic levity that we have come to find familiar.

  Tasting Notes

  Aromas are diverse and complex, with no single primary scent standing above the rest. Some of the more subtle facets are beginning to surface: wet stone, graphite, leather, and fresh spices. Brighter notes create a tension in the nose that then transfers to the palate. In the beginning it is gentle and silky, developing slowly and purposefully into a synthesis of minerality, freshness, and vibrancy. The wine shows its potential for aging with a balance of structure and lightness, as well as a latent potential only to be revealed with time.

• 2012

  Growing Season

  Budbreak on April 18th marked the beginning of an idyllic growing season. The weather was warm throughout the year, but without spells of extreme heat. While most of Napa Valley experienced an earlier harvest, the cooler climate of the territory provided a much more typical ripening pattern. Due to even ripening, the harvest period was compressed to fifteen days as opposed to the normal twenty to thirty in past vintages. Picking began on October 12th along the western ridge and continued a few days later with the low lying blocks on volcanic soil. The east-facing slopes followed, and harvest concluded on October 26th. As has become customary with the diversity of the territory, forty-six harvest passes were made resulting in nearly thirty distinct vinifications. After a year of aging, the selection for the final blend was made. The consistency of quality was a theme, but ultimately the lots that were chosen reflected both the power of the vintage and the restraint of the territory’s more temperate environs.

  Tasting Notes

  A rich garnet color and youthful brilliance define the appearance in glass. As is typical with the youthful wines of Promontory, the nose is subtle yet intricate. Several minutes after pouring, the different facets begin to emerge. Though one might discern distinct aromas of wet stone, cassis, and hints of resin, the nose seems to more appropriately transport one to the place itself. There is a feeling of moist fog, bringing both humidity and the scents of the native landscape, while projecting in the mind’s eye a vision of sunlight without heat. On the palate, this vintage is decidedly forward. The acidity is forthcoming on entry and balanced by the sheer muscle and density of fruit. The tannins have a chiseled definition, but remain soft and pliant, delivering a long and persistent finish. While the 2012 reveals its precocious virtues, it is unable to hide the underlying truth that patience will provide great reward.

• 2011

  Growing Season

  Budbreak at Promontory began in the second week of April. The season progressed at a slow but deliberate pace, with veraison occurring in late August and early September. While most of the valley experienced rain followed by weeks of thick fog, Promontory - perched just above - continued to receive the warmth of the autumn sun along with the constant breeze that naturally stirs within the property. These two elements created ideal ripening conditions, and allowed for patience in determining the moment of harvest. Picking began with the upper ridges in late October and concluded with the lower hillsides in the first week of November. Due to the diversity of soil, exposure, and elevation, over fifty individual harvest passes were made, translating into thirty separate vinifications in the winery. Careful selection was made at the time of blending, in order to discern the parcels that would most purely express the character of the land. With each progressive month of aging the wine has continued to add layers of depth and richness. We believe that not only is this an exemplary example of the 2011 vintage, but that it is truly the best representation of Promontory that we have offered to date.

  Tasting Notes

  Deep red and brooding describes both the appearance and nature of the wine. The 2011 vintage bears the most extroverted aromatics of Promontory to date, with notes that range from coffee, black truffle, wet stones, and the smell of warm earth after a rainfall. The wine is classically juicy on entry as the acidity dances in the front of the mouth. It possesses great density but demonstrates a degree of clarity and intention as it touches the mid-palate. This is followed, by a very fine quality of tannin, not yet experienced in the prior vintages. The 2011 is undoubtedly youthful, but with gentle decanting it can bestow more pleasure at the moment than any vintage yet. However approachable this wine may be, we are convinced that its mysterious facets will continue to be revealed in the decades to come.

• 2010

  Growing Season

  The first week of April marked the beginning of a long budbreak that didn’t conclude until April 17th. This was followed by one of the coolest growing seasons in over a decade. Fortunately, there was not an over-abundance of rain in the period from bloom to harvest, allowing for a very balanced and even ripening season. Harvest began on October 2nd with the highest elevations first. Over the next 25 days, we were able to pick each block deliberately at its moment of ripeness. When all was said and done, we had identified and brought in 70 sovereign areas. In the cellar these became 30 distinct fermentations which, once complete, were aged separately for one year before blending. Ultimately twenty-one of those were selected to represent the virtues of the 2010 vintage. Together in concert we believe they harmonize the multi-faceted nature of Promontory’s character.

  Tasting Notes

  The appearance is deep violet in color and brilliant along the meniscus. The nose, full of subtlety, carries notes from dark bramble fruits, graphite, wet stones, to an array of extremely fresh spices. Vibrant acidity defines the entry; this nerve is intertwined through a fleshy and dense mid-palate, evoking an impression of juiciness that is resonant through to the finish. The tannins are perhaps the most detailed part of the wine. They have richness and volume, yet you can perceive the individuality of each fine grain, almost as if it were chiseled apart from the whole. Though intensely enjoyable now with five years of age, this wine has a very long life ahead. Its precise balance of acidity, tannin and fruit would seem to render it immortal. We expect that it should drink beautifully over the next 50+ years.

• 2009

  Growing Season

  Budbreak began in the first week of April. The season progressed evenly with very few heat spells and nearly ideal conditions during ripening. Harvest commenced in late September with the western-facing upper elevations ripening first. Next were the lower elevations on western exposures, followed by the east-facing mid-slopes that were gathered by the middle of October. All told, nearly 68 distinct harvest passes were made in order to capture each parcel at its optimum expression. These multiple passes resulted in over 40 individual vinifications. One year later, at blending, only twenty-one of those lots were selected in assembling the final blend. We believe the result captures the symphony of Promontory’s character within the context of the 2009 growing season.

  Tasting Notes

  Deep, dark red in appearance. On the nose, notes of black berries dominate with slight hints of smoke, wet stones, tobacco and dried herbs. On the palate the wine has an intense energy, filling the front of the palate with a subtle minerality. The middle palate displays multiple layers of flesh with a crescendo of flavor and tannins that recede slowly, leaving an impression of extremely fine-grained, youthful tannins. The finish is persistent on the palate and it becomes more and more refined as it fades. Though generous at the moment, the 2009 shows great poise and the classic proportion to age gracefully for the next 30+ years.