The Araujo family of Napa Valley’s Accendo Cellars has introduced to their premium portfolio of varietals a more affordable wine that is ready to drink now. Like many vintners who produce ultra-high end, collectable wines, the family sought to create a more approachable label; a wine for all occasions, to be enjoyed mid-week with a simple plate of pasta. And it is no surprise that the resulting blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc is on par with Accendo’s other prized varietals, making Laurea another Araujo winner.
Releasing just now, 2018 is the inaugural vintage of Laurea, a red table wine with supple tannins and vibrant red fruit flavors that is delicious and ready to drink when young but will age beautifully. The make-up is selected from high quality lots that, when blended together, produce a wine with a unique personality, one that is delectable, drinkable, and enjoyable with many styles of cuisine.
Photo Credit: Sarah Anne Risk
“With this first vintage of Laurea, we have produced a wine that is approachable and pleasurable now, but will age gracefully over time,” said winemaker Nigel Kinsman. “Its fantastic flavors are juicy and friendly, and express an immediacy and charm that are irresistible.”
Daphne and Bart Araujo founded Accendo Cellars in 2013 with their children, Jaime and Greg; the two generations continue to work together at the family’s Wheeler Farms, a state-of-the-art winemaking facility in the heart of the Napa Valley. Accendo Cellars wines are inspired by the Valley’s early modern era - the 1950s, 60s and 70s – and are derived from grapevines rooted in some of the finest vineyard sites, nurtured by growers devoted to the land. Accendo Cellars wines express the nobility and purity of the Napa Valley terroir the Araujos have long admired.
Photo Credit: Sarah Anne Risk
And the name? Laurea, Latin for honor and achievement, finds its inspiration with Daphne. According to Greek mythology, Apollo, who had been shot with an arrow by Cupid, fell deeply in love with river nymph Daphne. But Cupid had correspondingly shot Daphne with an arrow that caused her to loathe the first person she saw, and that happened to be Apollo. When Daphne found Apollo in pursuit of her, she begged her father, a river god, to rescue her. His rescue entailed turning Daphne into a laurel tree. Apollo, heartbroken, honored her memory by gathering laurel tree branches and forming wreaths which he used to crown the heads of victors in battle, sports, and literary pursuits.
Photo Credit: Jimmy Hayes
Laurea, at $125, will be made available to the Accendo mailing list on March 3, with placements in retail wine shops and restaurants throughout the country beginning in April.