Hudson Phoenix 2018
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Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Phoenix opens with aromas of cedar, cherries, and star anise evolving into graphite and candied violets. Vibrant, energetic, and savory, Phoenix is super-expressive and complex. It is rich in flavor but athletic, finishing with firm but very fine tannins.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Phoenix is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc and was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 80% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is redolent of warm plums, black cherries and black raspberries with suggestions of garrigue, menthol, pencil lead and roses. Medium-bodied, velvety and with great freshness, the palate delivers vibrant, crunchy fruit and a good long, mineral-tinged finish.
Rating: 93+
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Wine Spectator
Refined and well-structured, with pure-tasting dried red fruit and savory spice flavors that feature fresh acidity. Dried green herbal accents linger into the minerally finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
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Hudson Vineyards is owned and operated by Lee and Cristina Hudson. Lee & Cristina maintain an intimate relationship with the land, and eco system. The Estate’s year-round 35-person team collectively manages the farm’s biodiversity, supporting its polyculture from planted trees to native grasses and cover crops, including bird boxes to beneficial insects. The farm has a fully functioning and burgeoning CSA program as well.
As the proprietor of Hudson Vineyards, Lee Hudson has transformed his land into one of today’s most highly esteemed vineyards. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Lee received his B.S. in Horticulture at the University of Arizona, before working with the esteemed Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac in Morey St. Denis, Burgundy. It was here that he first learned that great grapes from hallowed vineyard sites produce truly world class, fine wines. Upon returning to the United States, Lee studied viticulture and enology at University of California at Davis, where many of his classmates are now his clients. Many esteemed producers don the name of Hudson vineyard designate on their labels (including Arietta, Bedrock Wine Co., Cakebread Cellars, Darioush, Duckhorn, Kistler, Kongsgaard and Ramey Wine Cellars), in addition to producing three estate white varieties and seven red, all vinified with holistically farmed fruit.
Cristina Salas-Porras Hudson developed her discerning eye through a distinguished, twenty-five year career in the interrelated disciplines of food and wine, hospitality, and design. After working alongside Alice Waters of Chez Panisse for ten years, Cristina consulted for Hermes, Slow Food International, Steve Jobs, and Rockfield Japan. Her talents and experience are now integral to her work with her husband, Lee, at Hudson Ranch and Vineyards, as well as overseeing their Napa Valley-based business, Hudson Greens & Goods. A native Texan from El Paso, Cristina received her BA in East Asian Studies from Middlebury College in Vermont, and a graduate degree in Japanese from Keio University in Japan. She helped to open the renowned Park Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo, and the art-driven Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, California, as well as co-founding O Olive Oil Company. Along with Lee and their children, Cristina is happiest gathering friends and family around her dining table.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.