The Wines of historic Venge Vineyard
The Venge (pronounced ven-ghee) family has been farming grapes in Napa Valley for almost fifty years. Knud Venge emigrated from Denmark to the US in the early 1900’s. Knud’s son, Per, found his passion for wine when he started an import business, Vencom. However, it was Per’s son, Nils Venge, who would lead the family business in the 1960’s to become an iconic name in the winegrowing community of Napa.
By 1976 the family purchased their own 17 acres in the Oakville District, growing mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals. Today, Nil’s son Kirk is at the helm, focusing on select vineyard sites that produce fruit he feels is worthy of the family name.
Kirk grew up farming and winemaking in Rutherford, and graduated UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology in 1998. He then spent some time at Mumm Napa, and a few vintages working harvests in New Zealand. Nils has since added another 12.5 acres to the family land holdings, in the foothills of the Pallisade Mountains in Calistoga. Hand sorting is a family tradition at Venge, where the craft wine making process is at the core of their products. A secondary sorting system ensures only ripe, healthy fruit goes into tanks. Venge uses a combination of cultured and wild yeasts for secondary fermentation, and the wines are aged in oak between 16 to 27 months. The reds are left to bottle age further, unfiltered.
We carry just a couple of the high quality offerings from this special place curated by the Venge family from Napa.
Venge Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
This wine is a powerhouse with a beautiful dark red and purple hue that lingers over the glass. Aromatics are plush and highly perfumed with ripe black cherries, clove, cinnamon, blackberries and currants. The fruit was destemmed in to a combination of cement vats, tanks and open top barriques. Time on skins was about two weeks, then the fruit was separated from “free run” and “light press”. The Cabernet was aged for 27 months in new French oak barrels, and 100% native and spontaneous yeast was used for malolactic fermentation. The wine is unfiltered and spectacular. I give it three bones!
Venge 2018 Scout’s Honor Proprietary Red
This wonderful wine honors the family’s beloved Labrador Retriever named Scout, who wandered the vineyards where much of the fruit is sourced. A base of old vine Zinfandel- 60%, Petite Sirah-12%, Old Vine Charbono-16% and Syrah-9% from the mountains. The 2018 vintage shows beautiful violets, anise, honeysuckle and blue herbs with a touch of vanilla. Loads of black currants and pepper, and a touch of masculinity from the tannins on the smooth lingering finish. I give it three bones!
By CRBrown
