VINEYARD

A hallmark of our winery for 20 years, The Puzzle is a red blend featuring classic Bordeaux varieties, historically sourced from our Spring Mountain Vineyard. We experiment with different varieties, styles, and techniques every year to ensure each vintage of Puzzle boasts a unique personality and exceptional drinkability. In 2017, we experimented by adding small percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Veeder and Yountville to the blend, which helped further develop the wine’s character and complexity.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

2017 should be divided into two components: before and after Labor Day. The year started with extended rainfall, followed by a mild Spring, resulting in extended flowering with little shatter. Temperatures remained mild through the growing season up until August, which allowed for great flavor development in line with sugar accumulation. During Labor Day weekend, a heatwave kicked harvest into high gear. Sugar levels returned to normal when the weather cooled. All of our fruit was fermenting at the winery by October 8th—minus half of our Mount Veeder yield, which remained on the vine. On October 9th, a wildfire hit the Napa/Sonoma regions, ending the vintage for Newton. We did not pick any of the remaining fruit from Mount Veeder.

VINIFICATION

The 2017 The Puzzle is a blend of Bordeaux varieties sourced exclusively from 33 individual parcels—29 from Spring Mountain, 3 from Yountville, and 1 from Mount Veeder. Once harvested, the bunches were hand sorted and destemmed. The fruit was then placed in an optical sorter, so we could inspect and assess each individual berry. The must was fermented in separate lots, and barrel aged for 12 months. After blending, the wine was returned to barrel for another 8 months of aging.