Winery owners David and Kathleen Grieve had long admired Philippe’s wines and his site-driven approach to winemaking. When it came time to hire a winemaker, they reached out to Philippe. For his part, Philippe was excited by the vineyard’s terroir and the opportunity to work with Lovall Valley fruit. In 2018, he took over as head winemaker for Grieve Family Winery, where he marries old world traditions with new world advancements to produce the winery’s limited production portfolio of profoundly expressive Grieve Family Estate and Double Eagle wines.
Maayan Koschitsky has amassed an impressive winemaking resume spanning from the vineyards of Israel to Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle in the Napa Valley, working alongside some of the top winemakers and among the most coveted terroirs in the world. Since 2014 Maayan has worked with the Philippe Melka team and serves as the Director of Winemaking.
Melka and Maayan's first vintage at Grieve Family Winery. This bordeaux varietal red blend, Double Eagle Red is crafted in a fruit-forward Bordeaux inspired style wine crafted from grapes grown at Grieve Family's Lovall Valley estate vineyard and sourced from premier valley floor plots. Named for one of golf’s most elusive shots - 3 under par in a single hole - Double Eagle wines see a unique mix of stainless steel, concrete egg and French oak.
Vintage Profile:
The 2018 growing season was noted for being dry, cool and long; an ideal recipe for maximum fruit expression and balance. Warm weather early in the season led to a good fruit set, while moderate temperatures from veraison through harvest extended the hangtime, allowing grapes to mature slowly and evenly. Overall, 2018 gave slightly higher yields of well-developed fruit, exhibiting pure varietal expression in balance with crisp acidity.
TASTING NOTES:
Based on 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot, the 2018 Double Eagle Red Wine reveals a dense purple color as well as ripe, powerful notes of black and blue fruits, toasted spice, graphite, candied violets, and orange zest. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely balanced, it has ripe tannins, plenty of freshness, and the class to evolve for 15-20 years.