Trois Noix Noisette Cuvée Red Wine Napa Valley 2021

The Araujo Family name is one that is synonymous with luxury in the wine industry. Bart and Daphne Araujo cemented their place in the Napa Valley wine industry as stewards of the Eisele Vineyard. Over the course of twenty-three years, they completely renovated the vineyard, replanting all the vines, which were threatened by phylloxera. Under the name Araujo Estate, they took all the production in-house (prior to, grapes had been sold to third parties). They switched to biodynamics back in 2000, a full decade before it became popular in the States, because some of their favorite French wines were farmed that way. And they brought in some of the valley’s best consultants, including winemaker Tony Soter, organic farming pioneer Bob Cantisano, and biodynamics expert Jeff Dawson, all drawn by the reputation of the property. In short, they raised the site’s status to the very top tier. This level of foresight and expertise remains unparalleled, and Bart and Daphne’s genius has been passed down a generation to their pioneering children.

Greg and Jaime Araujo have launched their own brand called Trois Noix which means Three Nuts in French and carries two meanings. It refers to their cumulative three children who will hopefully become the third generation of winemakers in the Araujo Family and to their three pillars of business: community, opportunity, and possibility. A driving force behind the inception of this brand was to build a platform of change. Through their vineyard partners, winemaking team, hiring processes, and charitable donations, Trois Noix has become a leader in the push for systemic change within the wine industry. They have formally committed to donating at least 2% of their annual revenue to community charitable partners that are creating opportunity for women and BIPOC people in the wine industry. When a wine is good and for a cause, count us in!

The 2021 Noisette blend is comprised of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Merlot. Loaded with just-ripe fruits and mercurial in nature, the nose opens with Luxardo cherries, blueberry, and Nag Champa incense, unfolding into more savory notes of five spice and oyster shell. Full-bodied and mouth-coating, flavors of blackberry and cocoa powder give way to structured tannins and a long finish.