Trivium
Trivium partners in the Lewelling Ranch Vineyard
A “trivium” is Latin for “a place where three ways meet“, and Trivium as a wine is a partnership of three friends. There may be no other wine that better fits the Vinecraft Portfolio.
Trivium, the wine, was conceived in a St. Helena neighborhood where three long-time friends lived and raised their children for two decades. Stuart Harrison has been a fixture in the Napa Valley wine business since the 1970′s, having been a director at Domaine Chandon, Opus One, and currently serving as Director of Sales and Marketing at Continuum, Tim Mondavi’s new winery. Doug Wight is a fifth-generation St. Helena grower who has supplied grapes to some of the finest Napa Valley producers for years. Winemaker Jack Stuart grew up in the orchards of Santa Clara Valley and has made wine in every vintage since 1975.
Trivium makes exactly one wine, from one specific block of one specific vineyard, in minuscule quantities. The wine is composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the “Les Ivrettes” vineyard, French for “tipsy girls,” a reference to the days when the three partner’s daughters would play amongst the vines during gatherings with friends.
Les Ivrettes is a specific block of Wight’s family’s historic Lewelling Vineyard, originally planted on gravelly St. Helena benchland by Doug’s great-great grandfater in 1864. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 7 on 1103 Paulsen rootstock. The Lewelling Vineyard is one of the oldest continuously-farmed vineyards in the North Coast.
“We set out to make a cabernet in the spirit of the years when we first got into the wine business in the 1970ʹ′s… Our stylistic choice is based on our desire to make a wine that we ourselves want to drink… This is your father’s cabernet.”
— Stuart Harrison
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Les Ivrettes Vineyard’
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Hand-harvested and hand-sorted. Grapes were destemmed and placed in an open-top fermentor and punched down by hand 2-3 times per day for 20 days. Aged for 20 months in casks, 71% new and 86% French. Bottle aged for 16 months before release. 371 cases made.
Medium-dark purplish ruby; attractive, spicy, perfumed, cassis and dark cherry fruit aroma with hints of cola, mint and sage; full body; tight, rich, complex, herbal, cedary, dark berry fruit flavors with a trace of vanilla and a velvety mouth feel; full tannin; a bit tight on the finish with a slightly hard edge; lingering aftertaste. Very highly recommended.
— California Grapevine, October/November 2011The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, juicy wine bursting with dark red fruit, licorice, savory herbs. The fruit-forward style is best enjoyed sooner rather than later. There is a centeredeness and focus to the fruit that is quite appealing. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.
— The Wine Advocate #198, 90 points
Vinecraft distributes Trivium Wines exclusively in Florida.