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Napa Reds' Changing Style

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Over-manipulation of Napa Valley reds leads to unwanted residual sugars in many wines—but it’s becoming a thing of the past. Residual sugar in Napa Valley cabernet sauvignons? It seems like a strange topic for a conversation, but it came up a number of times during three trips to Napa earlier this year, when I tasted the amazing 2012 and 2013 vintages.

Click on the image below to view the column that originally appeared in Hong Kong Tatler 2016 May issue. 

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2 thoughts on “Napa Reds' Changing Style”

  1. mfbix says:
    Friday, May 6, 2016 at 4:29 am
    James, as written this is all speculation. You have no specific examples. For one thing 3 grams per liter is 0.3% sugar not 3.0% sugar. It is sloppy incompetent winemaking to throw up your hands at the end of a fermentation and say, well it is 0.6% RS but I can't help it, it is Nature's way. Your Coppola reference owed it to you to be specific. I am no defender of Napa cabernets, my cabernet blend drinking is almost entirely of Bordeaux wines, but I think most of what you quoted was at the very least exaggerated if not simply wrong.
  2. James Suckling says:
    Friday, May 6, 2016 at 7:35 am
    Thanks for the comment. I don't think it is "sloppy incompetent winemaking." It's all done intentionally to leave sweetness in the wine and give a soft mouth feel. I have spoken off the record to many winemakers like yourself and it's standard practice to make sweet reds and whites to please a certain segment of the market. Thanks for the catch on the residual figure.