For some, winemaking is about a lifestyle, but for Benoit
Touquette and his very small team at Fait-Main, it is about hard work. When
something clicks, be it the right vineyard site, the right people or the right
timing, you just go for it, no matter how risky it might appear, or how many
more sleepless nights at the winery there will be. Benoit says... "at
home, I can't rest for long without my mind wandering back to the winery, the
vineyards, the unexplored possibilities. Fait-Main is the result of that restlessness."
Meaning handmade in French, Fait-Main wines tell the story of each individual
vineyard and the people who make them, sharing a commitment to the highest
standards in any endeavor.
Frenchman Benoit Touquette is unquestionably a genius. He
has earned eight 100-point wines in his career, so it is fair to say that just
about every project he has his hands in turns to gold. After studying for his
Master's Degree in Chemistry at the University of Bordeaux, Benoit worked at
several excellent but very high-volume wineries. It was there he realized that
his passion lied in making limited production, high end wines. Enter a special
mentor to Benoit, France's renowned Michel Rolland, who helped Benoit secure a
position with Andy Erickson who consulted on some of Napa's most elite brands
such as Screaming Eagle, Ovid and Arietta to name a few. After starting his own consulting business,
Benoit is now the front man for labels such as Realm, Jack Quinn, Kata,
Hartwell and Teeter Totter.
Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper, one of Napa's oldest vineyards,
consists of 45 contiguous acres on the famed Oakville Bench in the Napa
Valley. Originally owned by George
Yount, as in Yountville, it was purchased by Charles Hopper and given to his
daughter Missouri in 1877. Today Missouri Hopper is owned by the Beckstoffer
family and the fruit from this vineyard is some of the most sought after in
Napa Valley. 2018 saw abundant winter rains, followed by lots of sunshine in
spring and early summer. Both bud break and flowering occurred a bit late but
under ideal weather conditions, creating plentiful and even fruit set. The
relatively mild summer followed by extended fall sunshine and moderate heat
created perfect conditions for winemakers to allow their fruit to accumulate
flavor complexity with gradual increases in sugar levels.
This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, hand-harvested and gently
destemmed. Benoit favors a relatively cool fermentation, allowing for purity of
fruit and aromatic freshness to remain in the forefront. Hand punch-downs and
gentle pump-overs allowed for a delicate extraction that set the wine up very
nicely for 18 months in 65% new French oak. This is the first Fait-Main release
from the iconic Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard. Notes of raspberry,
violets and red currant leap from the glass alongside wild thyme and pencil
lead. The palate is full-bodied with plenty of crème de cassis, blueberry pie,
sweet earth and black cherry. Approachable in its youth with fine grained
tannins and a smooth mouthfeel, the wine finishes with a pop of bright fruit
and refreshing acidity.
230 Cases produced.
