Wine Advisor
Inglenook, Blancaneaux 2022
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
The 2022 Blancaneaux—a Rhône-inspired blend of Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne—is made similarly to Inglenook's Sauvignon Blanc, with 60% made in stainless steel drums and the balance in oak puncheons. This vintage is less floral than usual, with more obvious oak. Scents of pear, marshmallow, melon and mocha all appear on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is plump and appealing.
About the Producer
Inglenook's Chateau winery is completed. Conceived to be a state-of-the-art facility, the Chateau's design is based on gravity-flow, one of the first of its type in Napa Valley, and includes an early form of rebar—using cable from cable-cars in San Francisco—to stave off earthquake tremors and to help the building shift safely during the crush process. True to his fastidious nature in each step of the winemaking process, Niebaum devises California's first grape-sorting table and also installs the state's first bottling line to ensure the wines' provenance from growth to bottle, the latter always bearing the California Pure Wine Stamp and secured with an intricate wire maze to guarantee the wine's integrity.
