Hello members,
In our relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation, Priest Ranch is thrilled to announce a significant stride toward sustainability in 2024. As an adventurous, trailblazing brand, we recognize the importance of minimizing our environmental impact while continuing to provide exceptional experiences for our valued members. With this in mind, we are excited to introduce a new initiative: Your wine club newsletters will now be accessible online, aligning with our commitment to using less paper and embracing eco-friendly practices. Instead of receiving a printed newsletter, you will find a postcard directing you to our digital platform to explore the latest updates, featured wines, upcoming events, and more. By making this transition, we aim to reduce paper waste and contribute to a greener future for Napa Valley and beyond.
At Priest Ranch, sustainability isn't just a buzzword—it's a guiding principle woven into everything we do. As we move into 2024, one of our biggest goals is to continue and drastically improve our sustainability efforts. Aspiring to be one of the world's genuinely great family-owned wine estates, we recognize the importance of our mission to create a sustainable business that will last generations of stewardship. But what does it really mean to be 'sustainable' as a business in the wine industry? As defined by the non-profit organization Napa Green, sustainability certification means that the winery has gone beyond environmental compliance to increase energy and water efficiency, prevent waste, take climate action, and engage employees along the path of sustainability.
Throughout Napa Valley, you've likely seen or heard of Napa Green, a certification that is a huge source of pride to those who have achieved it. We are proud to bear the Napa Green certificate in our Yountville tasting room as well as our Estate winery; we feel there is no longer an option—the future is green. Some of the steps we've taken that you may have already noticed or will be familiar with soon include eliminating single-use plastic, opting for lighter glass for our bottles, and using paper with recycled content. We're excited by the opportunity to continue to expand our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and hope you are just as proud as we are to be building a greener future for our beloved Napa Valley.
Interested in learning more about Napa Green? Read about their efforts and see the fellow wineries dedicated to sustainability. Let's raise a glass to a sustainable future filled with adventure, exploration, and exceptional wines.
Now, on to the February 2024 Wine Club Selection featured wines. As many of you already know, we have had a wine shortage due to Mother Nature's effects over the past few years. But fear not; our 2021 vintage looks fantastic and is this shipment's highlight. Still young and recently bottled, we recommend laying these down for six months or decanting them before enjoying them.
2021 Priest Ranch Coach Gun: Our 2021 Coach Gun opens with inviting aromas of dark plum and blueberry, backed by notes of cedar, anise, and vanilla bean. Its drinkability is marked by notes of cassis, blackberries, milk chocolate, and a touch of bay leaf. While full-bodied and rich with luscious tannins, this wine can be enjoyed now but could easily age for a decade or more.
2021 Priest Ranch Petite Sirah Block 126: The 2021 Block 126 Petite Sirah exudes aromatic notes of raspberries, cherry cola, and Earl Grey tea, with a hint of cinnamon. Prevalent tannins lead the palate but are balanced by fruit flavors of blueberries and sugar plum with a smokey and spicy finish. This impressive food pairing wine almost encourages you to enjoy now while being paired with rich and savory dishes, but if you're in no rush, we recommend letting it rest for a couple more years.
2021 Priest Ranch Peacemaker: This Cabernet and Merlot blend is fresh and vibrant with notes of blackberries, fig, black pepper, and dried mushrooms. The palate is rich with characteristics of black currant, elderberries, dark chocolate, and eucalyptus, leading to a soft and long finish while showing off its immense but silky tannic structure. It is an elegant and approachable wine with the strength to age for many years.
We will be sampling each of these wines at our upcoming Members Social on February 10th and will have them available for members to taste for the entire month. Remember to explore our upcoming events and recent blog posts, and connect with us on social to stay up to date on everything Priest Ranch!
