Blancaneaux

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

35% Marsanne, 34% Roussanne, 31% Viognier

Vineyards

Apple, Saddle

Alcohol %

14.2

Barrel Regimen

100% Stainless Steel

Bottled

2013

Vintage Notes

2013 was one of the driest growing seasons on record, yet despite a lack of precipitation, the vines developed an unusually large crop with a lot of vine vigor that required thinning on multiple occasions. By late summer, it was apparent the fruit was going to be of very high quality, in part due to the excellent conditions the year before. Our white Rhone varietals reached optimal ripeness by August, so we harvested weeks earlier than the previous years. The extra work required of this vintage paid off by delivering perfectly balanced fruit with luscious, ripe flavors offset by crisp acidity and intense aromatics.

Tasting Notes

Our 2013 Blancaneaux bestows a provocative fragrance of pears, honey and white flowers. Complex and well-balanced, there is a voluminous mouthfeel that’s offset by crisp natural acidity. This year’s rendition reveals a subtler side of Viognier, with less tropical notes or apricot than in the 2012 vintage. Here, Roussanne and Marsanne nuances are more prevalent with tart, juicy apple flavors and heavy minerality. It’s a beautiful expression of the 2013 vintage, and a lovely pairing for a chicken or fish dish prepared in a delicate sauce.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

53% Viognier, 33% Roussanne, 14% Marsanne

Vineyards

Apple, Saddle

Alcohol %

14

Barrel Regimen

100% Stainless Steel

Bottled

2015

Vintage Notes

Created in 1999 as a partner to Rubicon, Inglenook’s premier red wine, Blancaneaux is a white Rhone-style blend of estate-grown Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. Taking the complex personalities of each varietal and artfully blending them together results in Blancaneaux. The Marsanne and Roussanne contribute body and minerality, while the Viognier brings an intense bouquet of tropical fruits. These varietals are grown in vineyard blocks that have ample early morning sun, but are in full-shade by mid-afternoon, because of the shadows cast upon them by Mt. St. John. The 2015 growing season allowed the grapes to develop a splendid balance of pH and acidity that brings forth exquisite opulence without the sacrifice of acidity.

Tasting Notes

Lavishly aromatic with a wide broad palate, 2015 Blancaneaux offers a vivacious nose of lychee, lemon zest, grapefruit, and white flowers. Distinct mineral notes and tree fruit tones reminiscent of white peaches create an elegant layering reflective of the Roussanne and Marsanne in the blend. Big, bold flavors of tropical fruits such as pineapple, guava, and passion fruit fill the palate, yet there is also brisk natural acidity and crispness, creating a highly finessed expression that is true Blancaneaux.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

36% Viognier, 32% Marsanne, 32% Roussanne

Vineyards

Apple, Saddle

Alcohol %

13.5

Barrel Regimen

7 months - 79% Stainless Steel 21% French Oak

Bottled

2016

Vintage Notes

A winter with average rainfall followed four years of drought, providing ample soil moisture to kick off the 2016 growing season. Early spring was warm, triggering rapid, healthy canopy growth. Late-spring temperatures and limited rainfall reduced the risk of frost during mid-May bloom, ensuring standard yields. June closed with warmer temperatures, slowing vine canopy growth at the ideal time. Cool August weather helped the fruit retain the freshness valued in this wine. The Blancaneaux harvest began with Viognier on August 29th, followed by Marsanne, and finished with Roussanne on September 9th.

Tasting Notes

Vivid and elegant with a fresh spray of minerals, 2016 Blancaneaux offers an evocative bouquet reminiscent of white flowers, honeysuckle, Asian pears, and grapefruit zest. Complex and full-bodied, the subtle creaminess on the palate results from a touch of French oak. Its layered structure is well complemented by a lingering finish and vivacious flavors of white peach, citrus and vanilla.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

40% Viognier, 32% Marsanne, 28% Roussanne

Vineyards

Apple, Saddle

Alcohol %

14

Barrel Regimen

7 months - 72% Stainless Steel 28% French Oak 18% New Oak

Bottled

2017

Vintage Notes

Rainfall in winter and spring was bountiful, totaling nearly 50 inches. While our white Rhône varieties bloomed relatively late, periods of considerable summer heat accelerated ripeness, leading to a normal harvest schedule. The Viognier blocks were low yielding, which allowed them to ripen on time with superb concentration. All fruit for the 2017 Blancaneaux was harvested from August 26th through the first week of September.

Tasting Notes

2017 Blancaneaux shows an intricate array of aromas, ranging from attractive floral scents of jasmine and acacia to fruitiness in the form of white peach and ripe Meyer lemon zest. While its structure is round and medium-bodied, the wine retains compelling freshness as it evolves throughout an extended finish.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

38% Viognier, 38% Marsanne, 24% Roussanne

Vineyards

Apple, Saddle

Alcohol %

14

Barrel Regimen

7 months - 66% Stainless Steel, 34% French Oak, 21% New Oak

Bottled

2018

Vintage Notes

The 2018 vintage will be remembered as one with a generous crop of excellent quality. Well-timed precipitation in March and April ensured an advantageous commencement of the growing season with slow, steady initial shoot growth. Budbreak in the vineyard blocks contributing to Blancaneaux was late, ending on April 18th. Bloom was complete by early June, as moderately warm temperatures led to a desirable fruit set for all white Rhône varieties. All fruit was harvested from September 5th through September 23rd, delivering ultra-high-quality fruit that retained ample natural acidity.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant in appearance, the 2018 Blancaneaux shows complex aromas of white peach, clover honey and lychee fruit. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, refreshing and well-balanced, building to a long, supple finish with lingering notes of minerality and lemon zest.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

38% Viognier, 35% Marsanne, 27% Roussanne

Vineyards

Apple, Saddle

Alcohol %

13.6

Barrel Regimen

8 months sur lies - 60% Stainless Steel 40% French Oak 22% New Oak

Bottled

2019

Vintage Notes

Leading into the 2019 growing season, winter rains were heavier than average and continued into the early spring. The resulting ambient moisture paved the way for a well-timed bloom. A warm summer, followed by moderate weather conditions from August through the beginning of September, set the stage for even ripening and a successful harvest of our white Rhône varieties.

Tasting Notes

The 2019 Blancaneaux is a truly elegant wine with magnificent aromatic complexity. While certainly floral, with delicate hints of rose and lime blossom, there are clear summer fruit notes of pear, apricot, lychee and honeydew. Round, fresh and luxurious on the palate, the wine has a long, graceful finish. It will continue to provide optimum enjoyment for at least the next six years.

Appelation

Apple, Saddle

Blend

36% Viognier, 33% Marsanne, 31% Roussanne

Vineyards

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Alcohol %

14.1

Barrel Regimen

8 months sur lies - 60% Stainless Steel 40% French Oak 22% New Oak

Bottled

2020

Vintage Notes

Inglenook has long embraced organic farming, and we were among the first Napa Valley wineries to have our vineyards certified organic more than 25 years ago. Our farming practices, combined with low temperatures during the winter before the 2020 growing season, made soil nutrients for good early spring growth available to all three of our white Rhone varieties. In turn, the leaf canopies developed early, and provided good protection from a heat spike we experienced just prior to harvest. The 2020 Blancaneaux harvest began with Viognier on August 20th and culminated with Marsanne and Roussanne on September 9th and 10th. The abundance of fruit was right on track, while quality was consistently excellent.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant gold-yellow in color, the wine opens with inviting accents of Meyer lemon curd, honeysuckle, and white peach. Seamless and creamy on the palate, this is a nicely concentrated wine. It closes with lingering notes of chamomile and juicy Anjou pear and retains a vibrant tension throughout.

Appelation

Apple, Saddle

Blend

43% Viognier, 30% Roussane, 27% Marsanne

Vineyards

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Alcohol %

13.1

Barrel Regimen

8 months sur lies - 55% Stainless Steel, 23% New French Oak, 22% Neutral French Oak

Bottled

2021

Vintage Notes

The 2021 vintage began with January and February rains, providing ample soil moisture in time to ensure a healthy bud break. Throughout the rest of the season, excellent conditions created gradual ripening of our white Rhône grapes. All three varieties, beginning with Viognier and ending with Roussanne, were hand-harvested at perfect maturity over a 10-day period, beginning on August 23rd. Practicing organic farming since the 1980s, Inglenook was one of the first Napa Valley vineyards to be certified organic in 1994. Experimentation is embedded in Inglenook’s DNA, and within this ongoing evaluation, considerations of climate change, vine age, vintage and other factors reiterate that an estate of Inglenook’s caliber and quality is forever a work-in-progress.

Tasting Notes

The 2021 Blancaneaux, with its pale gold color, leads with aromas of honey, white peach, and pomelo. Fresh on the palate, with absolute purity of flavor, a lingering minerality carries the wine through a long aromatic finish. This promises to be an eminently ageable vintage. Pair Inglenook’s 2021 Blancaneaux with cheeses and charcuterie inspired by those curated by our Estate Chef, Alex Lovick and celebrate with loved ones.