Ashley Hepworth started as a cellar worker at Joseph Phelps Vineyards in 1999. She worked her way up in the ranks at the winery and in 2006 completed a Winemaking Certificate in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California Davis. In 2008 she was promoted to winemaker at Joseph Phelps. Ashley’s approach to winemaking is straightforward, “let the vineyards and the vintages speak for themselves.”

The blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Malbec sourced from multiple estate and grower vineyards in the Napa Valley. The wine was aged for 18 months in new and older French and American oak barrels. Nearly opaque in color, this wine boasts of aromas of wild blackberries and savory herbs. Within is a wealth of mixed black and blue fruits along with a hint of cinnamon and a dusting of dark cocoa shavings. It is rich, classic and a prototypical Phelps design, being plush with nicely rounded edges. This wine may be approachable, yet it is destined for a long and vibrant life.

By W Peter Hoyne