The Napa Valley Vintners association has this to say about the 2017 vintage: “Mother Nature throws curve balls; winemakers catch them”. Winemaker Marcus Notaro considers 2017 the most challenging vintage of his career. There was lots of rain in winter then ferocious heat in September that sent the vines into self-induced coma. A dramatic year and quite unlike the famously good vintage of 2016. Very high purple rim on this. The nose is vegetal, like spring nettles or dock leaves; it’s young and angular, leggy, with great sweet cherry fruit and lovely integrated tannins. The fruit on the palate is dark, the acidity fresh and; the whole effect is of a generous, opulent wine fighting to get out of a straitjacket. Closed and tight at the moment.