2012 Dolce, Napa Valley [375ml with gift box]
With its bright apricot aromas, silky texture and whispers of vanilla, this golden-hued vintage brightens a variety of dessert courses, from spiced holiday pies to summer's stone fruit cobblers. It's also a dream with salty bleu cheese. The 375ml bottle arrives in a gold-foil branded, custom gift box.
The 2012 Dolce is bursting with flavors of apricot and orange liqueur. Enticing fruit-forward aromas persist throughout the wine. On the palate, mouthwatering layers of vanilla and brioche mingle with lush fruit. A rich, distinctive texture and a smooth, coating mouthfeel carry this wine’s full flavors into a long and satisfying finish.
Dolce’s 20-acre vineyards are located in Coombsville, east of the city of Napa, and are situated at the base of the Vaca Mountains, which define the eastern border of the valley. The volcanic soil is loose and well drained, and the west-facing vineyard is protected from the prevailing winds so that the damp, morning fog of autumn—a very important factor in the development of Botrytis cinerea—hangs longer amongst the vines, often until midday. A combination of high humidity followed by drying conditions encourages, but does not guarantee, the growth of Botrytis. As the mold develops, its coverage is seemingly random with individual berries succumbing to Botrytis at different rates, if at all.