CASE PRICE = $88.99 per bottle (add 12+ quantity to your basket)
About This Wine:"Tucked away in the sometimes seemingly forgotten Conn Valley, this
winery is run with considerable gusto by Todd Anderson and his winemaker
Mac Sawyer. This is an undeniable source of very complex and
potentially age worthy wines. As did his father, Gus, Todd Anderson has
consistently done well with Chardonnay from a cool climate site in the
Green Valley south of the city of Napa. The 2008 and 2009 Chardonnay
Fournier are both non-malolactic, barrel-fermented Chardonnays that have
lots of minerality and little evidence of wood. They are made from the
newer Dijon Clone rather than the clone preferred by most of the
outstanding practitioners of California Chardonnay, the Old Wente and
occasionally the Mt. Eden clone. The Right Bank cuvee is made from
Merlot, which usually dominates, and the rest Cabernet Franc. This
offering has been a winner since its debut release and it continues to
be one of Napa Valley’s most interesting wines. My favorite offering
from Todd Anderson is the Eloge cuvee, a distinctive effort of
first-growth quality. One would think this wine would be somewhat
Medoc-like as it is generally one-half to two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon
combined with a significant amount of Cabernet Franc. However, one can’t
really compare it to a Medoc since there is never that much Cabernet
Franc in Bordeaux Medocs and there is not that much Cabernet Sauvignon
in any St.-Emilion or Pomerol. A project I had not tasted before is the
small lot (500-750 cases) of the Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label. Aged
longer in barrels than its siblings, it is meant to be a super-premium
wine. If you have not yet discovered the wines from this nearly 28 acre
vineyard tucked away a few miles east of the famed Meadowood Resort,
it’s time." - Robert Parker (Dec 2010)
Ratings & Reviews
96-98 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:"Remarkably, the 2008 Eloge may be as compelling. Composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot, it exhibits a dense opaque purple color followed by aromas of espresso roast, cassis, blueberries, licorice and lead pencil shavings. Deep, full and layered with phenomenal concentration and purity, this wine satisfies both the hedonistic and intellectual senses. It should drink well for 15-20 years." - Robert Parker (Dec 2010)
98 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2007 vintage):"The 2007 Eloge is a profoundly complex, extraordinary wine that is showing better out of bottle than it ever did from barrel. The final blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot reveals an inky/purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of graphite, creme de cassis, cedarwood, Christmas fruitcake, bay leaf and a damp forest floor-like character. It possesses sensational depth, a full-bodied opulence, admirable purity and a skyscraper-like texture and finish. This killer wine has not yet closed down, and it should drink well for 20-25 years." (12/2010)
94-96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2007 vintage):"The 2007 Eloge (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot) possesses a denser, more concentrated style than even the 2006. The tannins are also slightly sweeter, and the wine is more voluminous, layered, and textured. This young, promising, locked and loaded 2007 is somewhat backward because of the levels of concentration and intensity. Forget it for five years, and drink it over the following 25+years. These brilliant 2007s are some of the strongest efforts that have emerged from Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards over the last decade." - Robert Parker (12/2009)
96-100 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2007 vintage):"Not surprisingly, the extraordinary fragrance of the 2007 Eloge, its inky bluish/purple color, and its remarkable nose of black fruits interwoven with soy, new saddle leather, incense, licorice, and even a hint of truffle is followed by a dense, full-bodied, opulently fruity, sumptuously textured wine with absolutely no hard edges or anything out of place. It is, again, a seamless example of winemaking from what appears to be a great vintage for the Bordeaux varietals in Napa. This is a sensational wine that should be irresistible young yet age effortlessly for 20-25 years." - Robert Parker (12/2008)
