2018 Hudson ‘Phoenix’ Red Blend Carneros Napa Valley

WA93+ The 2018 Phoenix is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc and was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 80% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is redolent of warm plums, black cherries and black raspberries with suggestions of garrigue, menthol, pencil lead and roses. Medium-bodied, velvety and with great freshness, the palate delivers vibrant, crunchy fruit and a good long, mineral-tinged finish. 1,110 cases were made.
VIN93 The 2018 Phoenix, a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, is gorgeous. Floral, spiced and super-expressive, the Phoenix is a very pretty and distinctive wine. Merlot and Cabernet Franc are so distinctive at Hudson, as they are in blends like this one. Vibrant, energetic and savory, the 2018 has so much going on. This is a terrific showing.
Estate Notes: 2018 Phoenix opens with aromas of cedar, cherries, and star anise evolving into graphite and candied violets. Vibrant, energetic, and savory, Phoenix is super-expressive and complex. It is rich in flavor but athletic, finishing with firm but very fine tannins.

A thousand pairs of hands make Hudson Ranch, Vineyards and Wines the diverse farm it is today. Each member of our team, many of whom have worked with us since we started nearly thirty-five years ago, is employed year-round, as their special talents are necessary in farming Hudson Ranch all twelve months of the year. 

A Farmer’s approach: We walk the vineyards and ranch daily, responding to issues that may arise by choosing the best course of action, whether it be integrated pest management, daily analysis of weather and Carneros’ famed winds, the encouragement of native grasses, use of bird boxes, setbacks from waterways, the planting of trees and various restoration practices.  We spread 600 tons of compost annually throughout Hudson Ranch, and sow beneficial green manures such as bell beans, oats and peas; maintaining a permanent cover crop in the vineyards, which protects the vines and attracts a wide variety of beneficial insects to the entire property. And our water leaves the farm as clean as when it first arrived. We believe in healthy lands through proper management. This is our responsibility.

Merlot and Cabernet Franc were hand-picked at night, hand-sorted and fermented using native yeasts. The wine was barreled down to 80% new Darnajou, François Frères, Sylvain, and Taransaud French oak barrels. The wine was blended after 15 months and bottled after a total of 20 months in barrel.