E II – The Dog

E II was born in the Napa Valley in 1993 to a winemaking family. His was an idyllic childhood, as he romped through the vineyards with his nine Golden Retriever siblings. The puppies made a remarkable entry in the St. Helena Hometown Pet Parade that year, looking more like a can of worms as they wound their new leashes together taking little note of direction… and won first place!

We chose E II as a companion to our aging Black Labrador, Eeyore… thus the acronym E II…. or ‘Eeyore the Second’. E II’s first few years were spent roaming hundreds of miles throughout the vineyards of the Napa Valley in search of creeks, lakes and irrigation ponds in which to swim. He was called a ‘late-bloomer’ and took direction inconsequently, but was always loyal and attentive. He was soon ‘fixed’ of his nomadic habit and became Herb’s constant companion.

Herb and E II aged together and were rarely separated. They would sit quietly on the deck, Herb with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and a cigar, E II patiently allowing the cat to curl up next to him and hoping someone will throw him a stick; each gazing out across the vineyards.

But just as we released our first namesake E II Red wine, our loyal old companion passed away. We were heartbroken and knew he could never be replaced . . . after six lonely months we finally admitted we needed another dog and ventured to a local Black Lab breeder. Maggie was named loosely after a magnum consumed with friends the previous evening, remembered by the ensuing headache. Now almost three years old, Maggie has become a rambunctious, chewing monster, the cat’s nemesis…and our constant companion in the vineyards.

Our first vintage of Sauvignon Blanc, the 2005 E II Napa Valley White Wine, was a delicious and refreshing adjunct to our two other red wines, so we excitedly signed up for additional tonnage and a long-term contract with the vineyard owners and Sauvignon Blanc winemaker, David DeSante.

The fruit from this vineyard is fantastic, and, like our own Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard, the small production is in great demand but only available to a few producers who have contracts with the growers. Located in Yountville’s Golden Triangle, where it is cooled by the morning fog but warms more quickly than surrounding areas, the fruit ripens more thoroughly. We continue to choose a selection of three clones in almost equal proportions including Sauvignon Musque - a different breed from the true Sauvignon Blanc but closely related - picking specific rows to reach our desired tonnage.

2006 was a generous fruit year, yet the grapes had smaller berries so there was more skin contact and a higher pulp ratio to juice, giving the wine a rounder element and a more developed fruit style. In the cellar, we also experimented with three yeasts, giving nutty, yeasty pie-crust and pineapple guava characteristics to the 20% fermented in neutral barrels, and lemon, sweet citrus, tangerine, with tropical, tutti-fruity, and rich yet refreshing flavors from the 80% fermented in stainless steel.

According to Winemaker David DeSante, "This still has aromas of what our son Marcus would call Pangos – pears and mangos. This is an opulent vintage and, compared to the austereness of the previous vintage, is more filling in the mouth. There are more fruit qualities in the 2006 and less of the herbal or grassy notes, but it has a similar underlying mineral element. The 2006 E II White Wine tastes like a fresh tropical fruit salad with a few herbs thrown in – it has generous tropical fruits, like pineapple guava, luscious white peach, ripe golden apples, poached pears and a little bread dough – compared to the 2005 vintage, which had more crisp, tart apple and fresh pear qualities."

In its youth, the 2006 E II Napa Valley White Wine will be a great match with sushi, shrimp and shellfish, tropical summer fruits and light appetizers throughout the spring and summer, but as it matures it will pair nicely with crab and richer hors d’oeuvres. We just love it!