Buehler Vineyards - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Zinfandel, Russian River Chardonnay

2003 Buehler Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Estate

The early 2009 growing season contrasted with the previous two vintages in that we were not impacted by spring frosts. Late Spring rains were perfectly timed to supply water to the vines at the critical time when they most needed it. This was a benevolent harvest and the ensuing wines we produced are ripe, rich, and marked by mature tannins in the case of reds.

After the completion of the primary fermentation, the wine was immediately delivered to barrels to initiate the secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged 18 months in barrels: 35% of which were new French oak, and 5% of which were new American oak barrels.

The aromas hint at black fruit: ripe black cherries and black plums. Enticing barrel qualities of cola and spice complement the fruit aromas. On the palate, the wine shows layers of deeply extracted flavors that only mature hillside vineyards can give. Our Estate Cabernet is the most age-worthy wine we produce and may be enjoyed anytime over the next 15 years. For those who seek youthful fresh cabernet fruit aromas and a more structured wine, drink it from 2011 through 2015. If you prefer the less fruity, more developed bottle bouquet aromas and a softer, more velvety wine on the palate, drink it from 2016-2026.

$36 / bottle

2005 Papa's Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

What is Papa's Knoll and where is it located? Named after the landform in front of "Papa's" (John Buehler, Sr.) house, this is our oldest Cabernet Sauvignon block. The face of the knoll is steeply terraced with an easterly exposure; the top of the knoll is best described as a shallow bowl with no rim on the south side. This three acre block was planted in 1971 and is the only dry-farmed Cabernet block on the estate.

Tasting Observations:The color is skewed to the blue end of the Cabernet spectrum and is opaque in nature. The aromas hint at black fruit: ripe black cherries and black plums. Enticing barrel qualities of cola spice and a hint of dried tarragon complement the fruit aromas. Even-ripening conditions were the norm for the 2008 growing season; the resulting wines have shown themselves to be generous in body and velvety in texture from an early age. On the palate, the wine shows layers of deeply extracted flavors that only old vine hillside vineyards can give. Papa’s Knoll Cabernet may be enjoyed anytime over the next 20 years. For those who seek youthful fresh cabernet fruit aromas and a more structured wine, drink it from 2010 through 2016. If you prefer the less fruity, more developed bottle bouquet aromas and a softer, more velvety wine on the palate, drink it from 2017-2030.

$45 / bottle

300 CASES PRODUCED

Our search for grapes worthy of producing our Reserve designated Chardonnay brought us to the Russian River Valley where cool-climate varieties thrive. The thirty-seven-year-old vines of River Vineyard have been the source of our Reserve Chardonnay since 1995.

For our Chardonnay program, "Reserve" designates traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques; it also denotes a very limited production wine.

After whole-cluster pressing, the juice is settled overnight and then racked directly to French oak barrels (30% new) for a full barrel fermentation. The wine then undergoes the secondary malolactic fermentation which tempers the natural acidity of the Russian River fruit; a fuller bodied wine results. The wine rests, sur lie, for 9 months and the lees are stirred weekly to flesh out the mid-palate to yield a creamy textured, seamless wine. T

Varietal chardonnay aromas of peach, pineapple, and citrus blossom are complemented by sur lie notes of crème brulee and graham crackers. On the palate, the wine displays a creamy, lush texture with a long, lingering finish that invites another sip.

$20 / bottle

Comprised of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from grapes grown on our estate hillside vineyards (30%) in conjunction with grapes from other mature, high-quality, low-yielding Napa Valley Cabernet vineyards located on the valley floor.

The early 2009 growing season contrasted with the previous two vintages in that we were not impacted by spring frosts. Late Spring rains were perfectly timed to supply water to the vines at the critical time when they most needed it. The crop size was as close to "average" as one could hope for and it arrived at the winery at a measured, consistent pace. This was a benevolent harvest and the ensuing wines we produced are ripe, rich, and marked by mature tannins in the case of reds.

The wine is brimming with fruit aromas and flavors biased to the black fruit end of the Cabernet spectrum: plums, blackberry, black currant. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, this Cabernet drinks well on release but will soften and develop with additional age. For those who seek youthful fresh Cabernet fruit aromas and a more structured wine, drink it from 2011 through 2015. If you prefer the less fruity, more developed bottle bouquet aromas and a softer, more velvety wine on the palate, drink it from 2016-2026.

$25 /bottle

The grapes we choose for our 2009 Buehler Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel are a mix of those off our estate vineyards and grapes from other select Napa Valley high quality, low-yielding vineyards. Dry-farmed for over 22 years, our 4.5 acre estate block consists of mature thirty-seven year old vines which typically give us around 2.5 tons/acre of beautiful hillside zinfandel fruit. Interspersed among the head-trained vines are a handful of Petite Sirah vines representing perhaps 5% of the total vines in this block. A traditional field companion to Zinfandel in pre-prohibition California vineyards, Petite Sirah contributes pepper, color, and tannin structure to the wine.

Our Zinfandel was aged for 12 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels, 20% of which were new. At this level of "new wood", the up-front endearing quality of Zinfandel can assert itself. Aromas of a briar patch on a hot summer day carry over to the palate and are carried in a mouth-filling, flavorful, juicy package. The wine was crafted for immediate enjoyment but for those who enjoy a more complex wine displaying some bottle-aged character, aging for another two to three years is a good option.

$19 / bottle

We’ve been producing a White Zinfandel at Buehler since 1983. Our means of bringing you consistently delicious wines remains unchanged since 1983: we hand-pick our 100% zinfandel fruit riper than most producers and leave less residual sugar. Riper fruit translates to flavors like wild berries and strawberries; yes, real red zinfandel fruit flavors! The end result is a wine with more red zinfandel berry character and a less sweet, more refreshing taste.

$8.00 / bottle

Our 2010 Russian River Chardonnay is born from two vineyards within the Russian River appellation: Wood Vineyard, located on River Rd and River Vineyard, located in the heart of Sonoma's Russian River Valley on East Side Road. The floral, mineral, and lime aromas and steely structure of the River Vineyard are complemented by the peach and apricot aromas and more fleshy structure of the Wood Vineyard.

The end result of the cool, rainy spring of 2010 was ultimately a harvest that began about two weeks later than "normal". Growers struggled to meet the demands of the 2010 growing season as the late spring and cool summer demanded more hand work in the vineyard to ensure that the grapes delivered at harvest were of the usual optimum quality. We started harvesting our Russian River Chardonnay the second week of October.

The 2010 Russian River Chardonnay displays abundant floral/ stone fruit aromas lightly accented by toasty, graham cracker sur-lie qualities. The mouthfeel is creamy and full but the natural acidity of the Russian River fruit carries this velvet textured package to a long, clean finish.

$16 / bottle