TASTING NOTES: Marcien is sublime… no protruding tail fins or gaudy chrome bumpers on this classic. Function and form interweave into complete deliciousness. Delightfully deep aromas and flavors of red and black berry, currant and fresh plum fruits. Enticing savory herb notes of bayleaf with hints of Kalamata olive, lavender, star anise, mocha and leather. It all comes together with tightly-woven, supple tannins for excellent age-worthy structure and a driving, persistent finish. The 2015 Marcien is sterling proof that Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon thrive in RSVnapa’s organically farmed Northern Carneros vineyards – The Right Bank of Napa Valley. Crafted with an eye toward structure and freshness, the wine has a mystifying complexity that comes from New World precision balanced by Old World soul.

WINEGROWING NOTES: There is wisdom in an aged wine. It tells the story of another time and place; an echo of a vintage and the people who crafted it. Sometimes it takes years, even decades, for a well made wine to express itself; to share its story; to transcend being just another wine; to become a classic. Marcien has always been a bit of a Napa Valley outlier. Grown in RSVnapa’s organically farmed vineyards in the relatively cool Carneros region whose northern reaches are what we think of as the “Right Bank” of Napa Valley; a micro-climate where Merlot and Cabernet Franc naturally thrive to fully realize their potential. The cuvée is complete with the additional backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon. Marcien was never meant to be showy young. That is why it is held back for many years before release. It took time to reveal a complexity reminiscent of a more elegant era in the craft of winegrowing.