Artisan Wine & Spirits® Moone Tsai – 6045737123999

Notes from the Winemaker:

This remarkable cabernet in its especially limited production quantities, receives our Cor Leonis designation, to mark its position as the very “best of our best” wines that we produce.

Transfixed by the brightest star in the constellation Leo, the Romans dubbed it Cor Leonis, the “Heart of the Lion.”

Bearing an extraordinary combination of fruit from a trifecta of Napa Valley’s most celebrated vineyard blocks, our 2011 Cor Leonis Cabernet is the hallmark of our winemaking philosophy. The wine’s expressive nose entices with aromas of blackberry and spice. In the mouth, these give way to layers of rich, ripe black fruits that are subtly nuanced with minerality, cocoa, and clove. Twenty six months of aging in 90% new French oak provides elegant framing for this wine’s concentration and intensity. With its seamless integration of both sweet and finely grained tannins, the wine is opulent on the palate, and delivers a silky finish of length and elegance.

This richly expressive wine draws its prized fruit from Beckstoffer’s heralded To Kalon Vineyard, Pritchard Hill, and Caldwell Vineyard’s legendary Block-15 – whose vines have flourished in the rocky, volcanic soils of the heralded Coombsville District for over 30 years. The clone of Cabernet grown on this vineyard is prized for its complexity and depth, and the company of wines sourced from this vineyard is noteworthy.

Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards: Caldwell/Coombsville District, To Kalon, Pritchard Hill
Production: 312 cases
Harvest Date: October 20 – November 2, 2011
Cooperage: 90% new French oak; Taransaud, Ermitage, St. Martin
Bottle Date: January 27, 2014
Release Date: September 2014

92-94 Points- Vinous Media:
“Moone Tsai’s 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Cor Leonis is beautifully pointed in this vintage. Mint, small red berries, spices and licorice all jump from the glass in a vibrant, delineated Cabernet loaded with class and personality. The flavors are bright and nicely focused throughout. The 2011 finishes with substantial energy, tension and class. This is a drop-dead gorgeous, classy wine, and a clear stand-out among the many 2011s I tasted. The vineyard sources are Caldwell, Chang (formerly Spanos), and To-Kalon.” – Antonio Galloni (November 2013)

90 Points – Wine Spectator:
“Distinctively rich and balanced, with blackberry, blueberry, mocha, exotic spice, sandalwood and fresh earth flavors. Firms midpalate and the tannins gain presence, lending this a dry edge. The finish emphasizes the core fruitiness. Drink now through 2022. 312 cases made.” – JL (nov 2014)