OVID Napa Valley
Tasting Note
The 2016 vintage was one of relief. Steady rainfall during the early months of the growing season was a welcome reprieve after four years of drought. February continued a new tradition of warm and dry weather, encouraging budbreak to begin a couple weeks earlier than normal. This early advancement slowed down to a relaxed pace as rain returned and drenched the soils before bloom. After slight yields of the previous year, the vines set a normal crop. We rejoiced when the long and sun-saturated summer meted out leisurely days and ample time for meaningful decisions in the vineyard. The last week of August brought a warm finish to the growing season, with harvest beginning a month later and stretching into the second week of October.
Expansive aromas of mulberry, fresh crushed raspberry, licorice, forest floor and pen ink tell the tale of a spectacular season. The 2016 OVID Napa Valley reflects the pleasure and opulence of its long and nearly perfect growing season. This wine’s dense and powerful palate is complemented by freshness and vibrancy that give it tremendous poise.
Vintage Data
- Appellation:
Napa Valley - Soil Type:
Hambright soil series - Harvest:
September 23-October 11 - pH Level:
37.8 - Alcohol:
14.8% - Aging:
21 months
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Proprietary Red Wine gives bright, vivacious scents of crushed red and black cherries, blackcurrants and warm plums with vibrant wafts of lilacs, powdered cinnamon, black pepper and fenugreek plus hints of wild sage and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied with a very firm structure of wonderfully ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, it has a taut, muscular fruit profile laced with loads of energetic red and black fruit sparks with a very long, spicy finish. Wow!
Jeb Dunnuck
Lastly, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a vintage described as similar to 2015, only with a normal-sized crop. This inky colored beauty has some similarities to the 2014 with its perfectly balanced, elegant, yet powerful style.(…) It hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an incredible display of finesse paired to power, remarkable sweetness of fruit, and a finish that leaves you looking for another sip. Another heavenly wine from this estate, I’d put this in the list of desert island wines for yours truly.
Antonio Galloni
Powerful and yet light on its feet, the OVID shows many of the qualities that make wines off this Pritchard Hill estate so compelling.
The 2016 OVID is another superb wine from OVID. Black cherry, mocha, spice, leather and menthol are all beautifully delineated. Powerful and yet light on its feet, the OVID shows many of the qualities that make wines off this Pritchard Hill estate so compelling. I can’t wait to see how this ages.