Elusa Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, 2015, 2016 Vertical in wood box, Calistoga, Napa Valley

2014 Elusa Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 produced wines that showed great varietal and site expression across the valley. Winter precipitation was only half of normal, but heavy rains in late February and early March were a blessing, coming just as the vines were waking up and approaching bud break.  

The site-transparent 2014 Elusa wines differentiated themselves early, giving wine lovers a reason to taste widely and explore their distinct character. There is a return to the generous fruit profile we expect from valley floor vineyards, a more classic style with nothing out of place or proportion, and a joyous character that makes these wines easy to pop and enjoy.

2015 Elusa Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2015 Elusa Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon is still a powerhouse in every way:  dark fruits, incredible structure, strong tannin. This wine strikes a wonderful balance between ready-to-drink-now and extended ageability in the bottle. 

After three consecutive vintages described variously as “classic,” “textbook” and “near perfect,” 2015 was a much more eventful growing season across Napa Valley. Unseasonably warm weather early in the year accelerated bud break and bloom, then a cold snap in late spring resulted in uneven fruit set. Once the heat kicked back on, it never stopped, giving us weeks of near 100-degree heat with no cooling fog. All of these climate challenges made for a tiny crop with tiny berries. Harvest began in July—one of the earliest on record for Napa Valley. Our picking window was so compressed we nearly ran out of tank space in the winery, despite lower yields. 

The combination of a short crop and warm, dry growing season tends to produce wine in which black fruits predominate. This is certainly the case for the 2015 Elusa wines, which are some of the more intense in our library. Highly lauded when young, these wines will continue to reveal nice balance and structure as they age. 

2016 Elusa Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon

Our 2016 Elusa Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon is a generous, fruit-forward representation of a perfect growing season in our northern reaches of the Napa Valley. Red fruit jumps out of the glass with unmistakable notes of brandied cherries, baking spices, and pomegranate. 

The 2016 growing season benefitted tremendously from the return of significant winter rainfall across the Napa Valley. Whereas the challenging 2015 season produced smaller yields of high-quality fruit, 2016 was more in keeping with the textbook vintages of 2012 and 2014. Thanks to steady July and August temperatures followed by a series of warm days at the end of the maturation cycle, fruit was allowed to ease into optimal ripeness. As a result, the 2016 Elusa wines tell a story all about site and varietal. With less stress on the vines thanks to rain, extended hang time, and no weather drama, the wine speaks unmistakably of place.

This is a highly sought-after Napa Valley vintage, graced with an abundance of all things—fruit, acid, tannin, structure, and finesse—in equal proportion.

Name of Winery: Elusa Winery

Bottle Size: 750mL

Number of Bottles: Three

Vintage: 2014, 2015, 2016

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Appellation: Calistoga, Napa Valley

Elusa Winery produces small lot wines, all meticulously crafted from vineyards within a four-mile radius of our winery. Our winemaker Jonathan Walden works closely with famed winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown to showcase unique expressions of Calistoga terroir with precision and focus.

Elusa is ideally situated within the Four Seasons resort, allowing us to connect with wine lovers from all around the world in a relaxed and elegant setting. Our goal is to make wines that stand the test of time, and we are fortunate to have a deep library of older vintages to share with our guests.

Discover more at Elusa Winery