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Stéphane Derenoncourt and Hélène Mingot at work and play in our California parcels. Stéphane shares his insights with our team, including CEO Fonda Hopkins, Hélène Mingot and Montesquieu wine brokers, regarding his philosophy on terroir and his inspiration to make wines with us in California.

After tasting the 2007 Derenoncourt California Napa Valley Coombsville Syrah with the Montesquieu Winery team, Stéphane describes the origin of working with this cool climate site in Coombsville, and his impression of the 2007 vintage. He prefers the style of Syrah from cooler climates over warmer climate sites, sharing that even though making great Syrah in California is challenging, the reward is a wine with incredible energy and freshness. Stéphane shares he is very happy with this vintage as it shows what is very difficult to keep intact with Syrah-fresh vibrant fruit. "I love the finish, very open, fresh and alive," he says.

Stéphane describes the 2007 Derenoncourt California Napa Valley Merlot from this beautiful high-elevation site, a tiny block in Jan Krupp's famed Stagecoach Vineyard. The key, he says, for Merlot to bring out its best is a very long growing cycle. Stéphane shares with Montesquieu wine brokers how he was very happy with the 2006, but even more so with the 2007 saying it is "another world". He describes the 2007 Derenoncourt Merlot as round, sensual and velvety but maintaining freshness and great fruit, with fantastic capability to age.

Stéphane Derenoncourt shares with the Montesquieu Winery team--buyer Fonda Hopkins, winemaker Hélène Mingot and several Montesquieu wine brokers--insight into the 2007 Derenoncourt California Napa Valley Cabernet Franc from the Caldwell Vineyard in Coombsville. Stéphane explains how from the very first time he tasted the grapes from these 25 year-old vines, he knew he had found a very special site, perfect for making the first varietal Cab Franc of his career. He is thrilled with the 2007, saying it has similarities to the 2006 but with "more of everything", and that in terms of complexity and precision it is his favorite of the collection.