You gotta love the occasional tear in the matrix…
The Napa Valley is all about Cabernet, right?
Today? Wrong.
John Schwartz started Grands Joueurs Vignerons over 20 years ago with an eye towards Paso Robles and the Sta. Rita Hills. He was already busy in Napa with his Amuse Bouche project, partnering up with Heidi Barrett of Scarecrow and Screaming eagle fame, but he felt compelled to diversify his portfolio, if you will, and focus on some of his other loves, especially Chardonnay and Rhone Blends.
John loves Chateauneuf-du-Pape, so his goal was to make an American version that he could call his own. His first forays for the needed grapes took him to Paso Robles, where he produced the first vintages of this cuvee. But then something happened, his palate shifted.
John felt the Paso grapes were providing a wine that was perhaps a little too over the top for his taste. So…Napa? Grenache? Syrah? Really? Yup, and he found it.
John notes, “I was tipped off about a few well-established acres, seven to be exact, of the sensual GSM varietals I'd been seeking - right here in Napa Valley! As you know, Cabernet Sauvignon is king in Napa, so these vineyards are very rare, particularly at the caliber we demand. The stars aligned, we were able to sequester the fruit, and we are excited to share it with you in this inaugural blend of 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah.”
The vineyards are high elevation, Atlas Peak to be exact, and the winemaking is handled by the talented Kent Jarman, who also makes Cabernet at Coup de Foudre.
The name? PharaohMoans. A pun on pheromones, the chemical compounds associated with attraction and excitement, playing on the idea of the wine stimulating the body. Kind of cool, kind of kitschy. Hey, like the wine itself, lets shake things up a little bit!
