Ardente Winery
|
|
Carlo and Marie Francoise Di Ruocco founded Mr. Espresso, a specialty coffee roaster in 1978. Then in 1992, Carlo and Marie Francoise were looking for a house in the Napa Valley for their retirement. After many months of searching they found a 25 - acre estate with five acres of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, tucked away in the quiet hills of Atlas Peak. From the very beginning, they knew their was something special about this place. The warm arid climate and rocky, mountainous terrain were reminiscent of Carlo's home in Italy. The rich volcanic soil, 1400 - foot altitude, and more moderate micro-climate provided the perfect conditions for growing high quality Cabernet grapes. Over time, Carlo and Marie Francoise slowly transformed this land to produce top quality Cabernet Sauvignon, traveling several times to France and Italy to research production and equipment. They worked with many different growers and enologists in the Napa Valley until the perfect combination could be achieved. They decided on a French style Cabernet Sauvignon, inspired by the wines from the Medoc area. They planted an additional seven acres of Merlot, and one acre of Cabernet Franc grapes. Carlo and Marie Francoise released their first estate Cabernet Sauvignon in 1996. Their latest release is the 2000 Sangiovese and the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon. Please contact us if you would like to sample these fine wines for yourself.
|
|
|
Directions
View Map
|
View Weather
Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark, ruby red wine of extraordinary complexity. The uniqueness of this wine can be attributed to the conditions found only on Atlas Peak, including the rich volcanic soil indigenous to this part of the Napa Valley and a distinctive microclimate located at an altitude of 1500 Feet.
The result is a wine with an intense yet delicate nose, rich, satisfying mouth feel, a pleasant finish with just the right amount of tannin, and the promise of a long aging.
|
Sangiovese
Up front aromas of dried peaches and apricot. There are undertones of ripe strawberry and cherry. A classic Sangiovese is what we have here. The flavors are rich and well - balanced, and the soft playful tannins bring out the light, crisp mouth feel. This wine is complete with a long finish, accompanied by more layers of fruit and enjoyment.
The selected grapes used in this wine were grown at my neighbor's vineyard off Atlas Peak road in the Napa Valley, at an altitude of 1500 feet. The vinification was performed in 225 liter french oak wood barrels. The result yielded 375 cases of 100% Sangiovese. Bronze Medal 2000 SF Chronicle
|
Add New Review
|