LAIL VINEYARDS

From the somewhat mysterious beginning of the focused and dedicated Gustav Niebaum, the early history of Inglenook has its fascinations. When John Daniel, Jr., third-generation owner and manager of Inglenook Vineyards, sold the winery in 1964, he thought it was the end of a family tradition that started in Napa Valley in 1879. But history is full of surprises. The Niebaum-Daniel odyssey did not die, but was picked up by Daniel's daughter, Robin Daniel Lail. In 1977 Robin joined the Robert Mondavi Winery, working as Robert Mondavi's assistant for the next five years. In 1982 she co-founded the John Daniel Society with her sister and Christian Moueix to produce Dominus from a vineyard originally part of the Inglenook estate. In 1983 she co-founded Merryvale Vineyards with a group of partners including her husband. The real return to tradition began when Robin sold her interests in Dominus and Merryvale in 1995, and with her family started Lail Vineyards.  Since the inaugural release of the 1995 J. Daniel Cuvee, the Lails have brought an historic presence and patina to each bottle of wine as they re-kindle their family's winemaking tradition. Erin Lail joined the winery in 1998 as the Director of Operations, representing the fifth generation in this ongoing family history.

"Robin Lail, one of the original partners in Dominus Estate bought out by Christian Moueix in 1995, purchased a property on Howell Mountain the following year. Beginning with the '97 vintage, she included fruit from her own west-facing three acres in her red wine, a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot whose proportions can change significantly depending on the vintage. Lail also owns a merlot vineyard in Yountville across from Napanook, and has a long-term lease on a cabernet sauvignon holding at the north end of Yountville. Her wine is vinified by consulting winemaker Philippe Melka, who also makes the Seavey cabernet as well as his own Metisse label. The Lail Vineyards estate fruit, grown at an altitude of 1,400 feet, tends to show low acidity and soft tannins, and contributes texture to the blend, says Lail" Steve Tanzer

www.lailvineyards.com

J Daniel Cuvee

2001        $69.99
"Good saturated ruby-red. Pure but subdued aromas of currant, mocha and chocolate. Dense, lush and chewy, with sweet, nuanced flavors of currant, chocolate, cedar and herbs. Finishes with big, chewy but ripe tannins that will call for at least a few years of patience. An excellent vintage for this producer." 91+ Steve Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 5-6/04
"Made from Howell Mountain grapes, yet rich and approachable in youth. There are huge, chewy tannins, but they're sweet and frame black currant and cherry chocolate fudge flavors. This makes it sound like a dessert wine, but it's dry and balanced and entirely satisfying." 92 The Wine Enthusiast 10/04
2000        $65.99
"One of the top efforts of the vintage, this 1,400 case blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot (both Howell Mountain and Yountville sourced fruit) exhibits an elegant perfume of forest floor intertwined with black currants and subtle toast notes. The finish is long, elegant, and persistent. It’s not a blockbuster, but then, no 2000 is. Drink this beautifully balanced, pure red over the next 10-12 years." 90 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #150
"A dense, rich, complex and concentrated wine, with layers of earthy currant, peppery-spicy notes, cedar, mocha and tobacco. Shows ample tannic strength on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2005 through 2012." 90 The Wine Spectator 10/31/03

Blueprint
The grapes for Blueprint (42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 52% Merlot) come from the younger vineyards in the Lail portfolio. The Napa Valley appellations include St. Helena, Oakville, and Yountville. The wine is a stylistic outline of their flagship wine, J. Daniel Cuvee. Blueprint alludes to Jon Lail’s career as an architectural designer. 800 cases produced.
2001        sold out
"Smooth, ripe and fleshy, with a supple texture and elegant currant, plum, cedar, anise and floral scents. Well-focused, with a sense of finesse, it features ripe tannins and a lingering aftertaste. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2012." 90 Wine Spectator Weekly 4/1/04