2018 Pulido-Walker Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard Napa Valley

VIN99 The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard emerges mostly from upper blocks on this site, a striking hillside that faces Colgin, where the steep exposure can yield wines of tremendous pedigree. That is exactly what comes through here. Inky red/purplish fruit, spice, rose petal, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco meld together effortlessly, with silky tannins that wrap it all up. Bold and luscious, but with tremendous nuance, the Melanson Cabernet is a total stunner in 2018. As I have written in the past, farming here has improved tremendously in recent years. This is another superb example of the quality that this site is capable of. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown gave the 2018 a relatively short 10 days on the skins. I imagine he thought the site would take care of the rest. It’s hard to argue with that. The 2018 is off the charts great. Don’t miss it.

The patient journey to “Pursue the Possible” at Pulido~Walker has been guided by a tenacious commitment to excellence, a striving for perfection of every element in single-vineyard designate wines. The ancient apothecary weight on the Pulido~Walker wine label is inscribed with the seasonal symbols of alchemy. This Old World instrument of precise measure expresses our family’s ardent determination to craft extraordinary wines authentic to the unique terroir of our three exceptional Napa Valley estate vineyards.
Under the watchful eye of our winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, we chose three remarkable vineyard sites where the natural alchemy of geography, soil, climate, and clone yield a wine greater than the sum of its parts. Wines that bear our label exemplify what is possible when one pursues the very best at every step. This is our compass, driving every decision we make.