BORN BOLD IN THE NAPA VALLEY

Lion Tamer is the power of the Napa Valley harnessed. These wines are a pure representation of the winemaker’s craft and their ability to tame the unruly tannins of mountain fruit.

The name Lion Tamer has become our nickname for Malbec because we use this grape as a blending variety to tame powerful tannins.

FROM THE CELLAR

“In crafting this wine, our goal is to achieve perfect balance between hedonism and elegance. We add a touch of Malbec to the blend to develop a softness in the tannins, making this a smooth and seamless wine. These supple tannins surround the palate, framing layers of juicy black currant, dark plum and hints of espresso, with well-integrated notes of baking spice from oak aging presenting on the lengthy, elegant finish.”

– Stephanie Pope, Winemaker

TECHNOLOGY AND WINEMAKING

Our Lions Head Cellar houses some of the most progressive winemaking technology allowing our winemakers to craft wines of exceptional quality that showcase the distinctive lands from which they come. The winemakers leverage tools like our optical sorter, which ensures only the highest quality berries are delivered to the fermentation tanks; and cutting-edge tanks, which facilitate 24/7 monitoring of pumpovers and micro-adjustments to be made throughout the winemaking process.

RESILIENCE IN THE VINEYARD

Every vintage and harvest presents a unique set of obstacles, and we approach every year ready to face the challenge. Vintage 2019 began with occasional rains and cooler temperatures, which brought soil saturation and allowed fruit to mature steadily. Summer helped the grapes to ripen, and the warm days and cool nights of the Fall fostered gradual sugar accumulation and longer hang times. Harvest began slightly later than normal in some areas, with fruit picked at its peak, promising exceptional flavor in bottle.

Oct. 2 - Nov. 2, 2019