L'Envolée Chenin Blanc Napa Valley 2023

L’Envolée is the brainchild of two young and hungry winemakers, burgeoning onto the scene and at the start of their careers in Napa Valley. Despite working full-time jobs with some of Napa’s top brass, Caitlin and Quentin Lhommeau squeeze every hour out of the day to pour their passion and creativity into their label, L’Envolée. They do every job possible when making their wine, from hand-harvesting the grapes, to punch-downs, filing permits, and packing the final shipments in the warehouse. And when all is said and done, L’Envolée provides a platform for complete creative expression when crafting superior Napa Valley wine for these two ardent creators. Having poured not only sweat, blood, and tears, metaphorically, of course, but also financial savings into their brand, Caitlin and Quentin are excited to release the first white wine of their repertoire, the 2023 Chenin Blanc.

The couple were a match made in New Zealand, having met in 2017 while working harvest on the South Island. Despite having committed to jobs worlds apart for 2018’s vintage, the two stayed connected and, after just a year, settled in Napa Valley together. How Quentin and Caitlin make it happen, and so humbly, is quite an astounding feat.  Between managing their family brand and working full-time with Julien Fayard Consulting as well as Tench Vineyards and Atelier Melka (respectively), they are a very busy pair! Growing up among the vineyards in Loire Valley greatly impacted Quentin, and he eventually earned a degree in Winemaking and Viticulture from Tours.  His résumé spans multiple regions across France, from Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Alsace to Cognac to Bordeaux.  After studying Cell Biology and Anthropology at UC Davis, Caitlin made the fateful leap to change careers from medicine to winemaking in 2016. Each brings a distinct perspective on making wine, influenced by their teachers, Russell Bevan, Philippe Melka, and Julien Fayard. The aptly named label of L’Envolée, “to take flight” in French, mirrors Caitlin and Quentin’s rise in the Napa winemaking scene.

L’Envolée is a creative outlet for Caitlin and Quentin and the perfect channel to craft the wines they personally love to drink.  That means their first white wine had to be Chenin Blanc, the classic varietal from Quentin’s home of the Loire Valley.  Not only is Chenin Blanc a favorite of Caitlin & Quentin’s for personal consumption, but it is also an exceptionally versatile and adaptable grape in the cellar, which presents an exciting opportunity to craft precisely the style they love.  They sourced the 100% Chenin Blanc from a vineyard in Napa’s southernmost appellation, Carneros.  Caitlin and Quentin selected five yeast strains for fermentation and a mix of stainless steel tanks and neutral French oak barrels for vessels.  Bone dry, fresh, and brimming with Bosc pear, white peach, and orange blossom aromas.  The palate is intriguingly textured from lees stirring during fermentation and aging, with a distinct minerality in the background.