Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards 'Eloge', Napa Valley, USA

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The 2005 Eloge is a staggering wine that is utterly profound. Its extraordinary aromas of incense, cedar wood, creme de cassis, kirsch, spice box, and gamey smokiness as well as forest floor make for one of the most complex wines I smelled over the two weeks I spent in Napa. Full-bodied flavors are followed by a wine with sweet tannins, beautifully deep, concentrated layered fruit flavors, and a long, heady finish. This is gorgeous stuff that should evolve nicely for 15 or more years. It’s safe to say that Todd Anderson and winemaking assistant Mac Sawyer are flying on all cylinders with their Bordeaux varietals at this winery tucked away in the Conn Valley. They also make some Pinot Noir which I am decidedly less enthusiastic about, and some Petite Sirah which is promising. The Chardonnays are made with no malolactic fermentation, but have surprising weight, richness, and aging potential. Think of them as California versions of Corton-Charlemagne. There are three red wine cuvees made – the Right Bank, based on the Pomerol concept of a Merlot-dominated wine with some Cabernet Franc in it, the pure Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, which has long been the flagship wine of the estate, and of course, the Eloge, which is more of a Medoc-like blend of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, about 20-25% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot. These are all sensational wines, all worth tracking down in the marketplace. There are approximately 1,000 cases of the Right Bank. It is usually a blend of two-thirds Merlot and one-third Cabernet Franc. The Eloge, normally a blend of approximately 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot, is another wine representing approximately 1,000 cases.Tel. (707) 963-8600; Fax (707) 963-7818