SIGNORELLO BOUNCES BACK FROM FIRES WITH BIG PLANS
The California Wine Fair returned to Vancouver last week.
It was gratifying to see proprietor Ray Signorello, who lives half-time in Vancouver, back behind his booth pouring the latest Signorello wines five years after his south Silverado Trail winery fell victim to the 2017 Atlas Peak/napa wildfires. The fire wiped out his winery and home in a matter of moments, leaving only the vineyard intact.
Signorello Estate became the face of the devastating 2017 wildfires, but the family was hardly down long. Three days after the fire, Ray Jr. announced they would reopen in a trailer and rebuild, and nearly five years down the road, he remains optimistic the winery will be back on track in 2023.
It took three years to navigate a so-called expedited permit process, and the winery is still at least a year away from opening. Still, Signorello is rising from the ashes with a new plan and direction for his ultra-premium Napa winery. The new facility will be a modern, state-of-theart building that capitalizes on the stunning views looking west across Napa Valley, described as “an open, airy design approach to our new winery, hospitality centre and cave facilities.”
Much of the concrete structure will be underground to be fully protected and fireproof to work around the current challenge of getting insurance in wine country.
Although the vineyard was untouched, Signorello isn't standing still. He will drop some wines from the portfolio, led by his regular Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. He says the costs of everything in Napa make it impossible to produce high-quality in the $50 to $75 range. So to help him reach his goals, Signorello has put together a new team led by star winemaker Priyanka French (ex-dalle Valle), responsible for the subtle style changes, well-known consulting director of winemaking Celia Welch and veteran viticulturist Steve Mathaisson.
The plan is to take the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon Padrone to another level while increasing its volume. Hope's Cuvée Chardonnay will join Padrone as the only Signorello estate wines. In addition, a new label, `S' by Ray Signorello will come from fruit selected by French that grows off-site on Howell Mountain, St. Helena and Rutherford dirt. French has an eye for detail, making her the perfect choice for the fastidious Signorello to reach that final mile. Much of the attention will be focused on tannins and balance, the last frontier to take Padrone, Hope's Cuvée and S to new levels.
Signorello has been innovative at all price points, which won't change. One of the significant advantages of getting someone as talented as Priyanka French is what she can do to tweak Signorello's other more commercial ventures, Trim and Edge, which are already well above most California offerings when it comes to style and quality.
The latest Trim offerings ($25$30), a 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2019 Chardonnay are made without additives. They don't add sugar, concentrate, colouring, or anything else that shouldn't be there.
As Ray Signorello says, “We believe in winemaking, not winefaking, and we are transparent about this.”
The latest 2018 Edge Cabernet Sauvignon $39.99, available in government stores, is a wine that spreads the wealth to all levels. It is a stylish entry-level premium cabernet rich in spice, black fruits, licorice, figs and supple tannins. You can feel the Signorello style — more finesse, less oomph — and you get the impression you can wait on this wine for another five to seven years — a perfect weekend steak wine that will impress your guests.
S by Signorello 2019 is a sensational new label, in my estimation, that speaks to the influence and direction of winemaker French. It's all Napa, but the silky textures suggest a subtlety and length that will live forever. It will retail in private shops from $100 to $125.
Signorello will be one of a handful of proprietors at the upcoming Vancouver International Wine Festival. You should drop by the booth, say hello and taste the wines with the maestro. You won't be disappointed.