Contact
Michelle Gagne Ballard
Telephone Email
707.944.1305 info@saddlebackcellars.com
Website www.saddlebackcellars.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2017
Saddleback Cellars Releases Napa Valley Favorites
35th Vintage, 2015 Napa Valley Chardonnay, and 2015 Old Vine Zinfandel Officially Hit the Market Today
Oakville, CA, July 29, 2017– With its annual open-cellar celebration, Saddleback Cellars of Napa Valley pops the corks on two new vintages of winery favorites: 2015 Old Vine Zinfandel and 2015 Napa Valley Chardonnay. It is the 23rd vintage of Zin for Nils Venge, winemaker, and 35th vintage of Chardonnay at Saddleback.
“I look forward to this party each year, and couldn’t be happier to share these wines as a couple of the best that Napa Valley has to offer. Let the celebration commence!” says Venge.
The Old Vine Zinfandel is unique in its American oak 16-month aging process, and noted balance of flavors. Crafted from the 96-year-old Frediani Vineyard in Calistoga, it’s limited availability has Zin lovers clamoring over each new release. Only 604 cases were made, and it can be found in limited distribution in approximately 20 states; it’s a staple of Saddleback’s Posse wine club, and also available for direct-to-consumer shipments.
Advance acclaim for the 2015 Napa Valley Chardonnay is also worth mentioning, to note:
2017 Best Chardonnay, DOUBLE GOLD, 96 pts: San Francisco Intl Wine Comp
91 points, Wine Enthusiast (March 2017)
A notoriously low-volume vintage year, Saddleback has limited stock of this phenomenal wine, less than usual: only 870 cases versus the usual 1200. Notable among Saddleback’s Chardonnay production techniques include the light and subtle use of French oak aging sur-lees for a period of nine months. The result is bright and pleasing, and as per its review in Wine Enthusiast, “flavors of green apple, pear and melon. Complex, easing into an elegant aftertaste shaded by light oak.”
The official first public tastings of these two prized wines starts at 11 am open-house style for an entry fee (includes complimentary wine glass), on Saturday, July 29, at the winery’s cellar and vineyard estate, 7802 Money Road, just a ¼ mile off the Oakville Crossroad, in the heart of Napa Valley.
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If you would like more information about Nils Venge, Napa Valley’s Saddleback Cellars, and other Saddleback vineyard lore, please contact Michelle Gagne Ballard at 707.944.1305 or email at info@saddlebackcellars.com.