The Crane Assembly G.B. Crane Vineyard El Coco Red Wine Napa Valley 2020

The 2020 El Coco has landed at ACME and brings with it the dark fruits, rich mouthfeel, and brooding structure that has been haunting our cellar since its inaugural release six years ago. We love this incredible wine and its creepy boogeyman label inspired by the late 18th century artwork of Francisco Goya. We're even keeping one on our nightstand with hopes it can help ward off disease, crazed hornets, and the tax man. This is a classic example of the decadent 'Red Blend' style that has helped Napa emerge as a favorite region for wine drinkers. It is a delightful addition to any temperature-controlled collection or that small rack of go-to bottles on the kitchen counter. 

Just a mile down Hwy 29 from ACME, there is a heritage, head-trained, eight-acre vineyard originally planted by legendary Napa Valley pioneer George Belden Crane in the 1800's. These deeply rooted historic vines are embedded in ground that was formed over millennia as soil and gravel washed down from the Mayacamas Mountains via Sulphur Creek to the western flank of St. Helena. Crane, realizing the similarities in the gravelly soil conditions here and in the other great wine regions of the world, was the first in the valley to plant European varietals in Napa in 1861. He followed those plantings with Zinfandel and later Petite Sirah. He is remembered for his pioneering efforts to produce truly exquisite wines.

Containing some of California's oldest Zinfandel vines (as in second oldest in the state), it's no surprise The Prisoner himself, Dave Phinney had his sights set on owning this iconic parcel of land well before it ever hit the market. 150 years after G.B. Crane Vineyard was planted, Dave gathered some friends (Bryan Sandoli, Darryl Browman and winemaker Kevin Fox) who shared a common goal of preserving viticultural history and producing a wine that both represented and respected that history. What began as a dream quickly became a reality and in 2012 The Crane Assembly was born. We have been in awe of every bottling from The Crane Assembly since their debut vintage and would love to have you along on the ride. This is a real Saint Helena treasure!

An alchemic blend of 71% old vine Zinfandel and 29% Petite Sirah. The 2020 el Coco sits in the glass with a deep mauve and neon rim, opening with aromatics of fruits on the darker spectrum - black and blue berries muddled with cacao - and a hint of lit palo santo. A confluence of feeling on the palate, the entry is voluptuous, layered and specific, with dripping ripe black plum that retains its acidity along with fresh morel and bresola, continuing into an appealing finish of baking chocolate. Closed in its youth, an introduction of air with a decant would allow for the wine to open and show the nuance and complexity hidden within.