The People
Bootleg is a part of Jackson Family Wines, one of the pioneering winemaking families in Napa Valley. They saw potential in California wines before the rest of the world took notice and bought land in 1974 to being growing Chardonnay. Their success was due in large part to their philosophy of employing terroir driven old world farming traditions of planting varietals that are best suited for a particular area.
Bootleg was conceived by the family with the goal of creating a unique red blend that expressed the best of a given vintage rather than adhering to any given winemaking style year to year. This unconstrained approach gives winemaker Gabe Valenzuela a blank slate to recreate Bootleg with every vintage. He never knows what will go in the bottle at the beginning of the growing year.
Gabe was born and raised in California and graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology. He worked for years at multiple famous wineries before joining Bootleg. A former Marine, he is an enthusiastic advocate of the brand. He says, “I think about Bootleg as the Jimi Hendrix version of the National Anthem, unconstrained but still incredible.” Amen to that.
The Juice
The 2016 version of Bootleg Red is almost equal parts Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. Opulent yet refined, Bootleg deftly balances hedonistic pleasure with structure, nuance, and finesse. Though the recipe may change from year to year, Bootleg’s exuberant, bold and complex blends challenge convention while remaining anchored in celebrated vineyards throughout Napa. This vintage received a score of 94 points, an unheard-of level of quality at this price point.
The Dirt
The grapes for the 2016 Bootleg Red were sourced from several of the Jackson Family’s vineyards in the Napa Valley. The exact vineyards are unknown and change from year to year depending on the composition of the blend. The name Bootleg is a tribute to the devotion and daring that inspired the winegrowing rogues who smuggled vine cuttings from renowned French vineyards into California to elevate American wine to world class status.
The grapes for the 2016 Bootleg Red were sourced from several of the Jackson Family’s vineyards in the Napa Valley. The exact vineyards are unknown and change from year to year depending on the composition of the blend. The name Bootleg is a tribute to the devotion and daring that inspired the winegrowing rogues who smuggled vine cuttings from renowned French vineyards into California to elevate American wine to world class status.
The Taste
Beautiful garnet color leads into a nose of dark fruit, blueberry, chocolate, baking spices, and earthy notes in the background. On the palate the wine exhibits rich round approachable tannins with great structure. Flavors of blueberry and blackberry compote, toasty oak, and a long, luscious finish. The wine is full and inviting enough to enjoy on its own, yet structured enough to stand up to big, bold foods.
The Spill
While it is hard to label a Jackson family wine an up-and-comer, the Bootleg Red fits our profile very well – great wine made by interesting people that drinks well above its price point. Cortney is excited about doing a vertical tasting of this wine to see how the blends express themselves from year-to-year. “I can’t wait to dive into a side-by-side tasting of multiple vintages of Bootleg. It is an education in a bottle.” At this price, you will want to join her and stock up to impress your friends.
