Last Friday, beloved member Ivan the Fiver dropped by Graileys with an up and coming talent of Napa, Julien Fayard! Julien creates some of my personal favorite under-the-radar Cabernets of Napa so it was a real treat to meet him and taste through his personal line: Azur Wines. Like his other boutique projects, Azur Wines is a true Napa gem that we have fallen in love with! You can find Julien and his wife Elan in their newly built winery and caves in Napa’s next hotspot, Coombsville. Having experienced winemaking at the best of France and California from Chateau Lafite Rothschilde and Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux to working side by side with Philippe Melka helping create the powerful wines of Tusk, Entre Nous and Perfect Season, Julien was born and bred to make great wine! Now this is a winemaker you want to follow…
As a native of Provence, his philosophy is to make wines that purely express its terroir and his 2015 Azur Rose ($35/btl) shows brilliant transparency, bright flavors and fabulous texture. This is one of my favorite domestic rose’s that quenches the palate with the best flavors of summer. Three Liters are a must for any pool party or bbq this summer!
We then tried his 2015 Azur Sauvignon Blanc ($35/btl)- a great balance of ripe, tropical fruits and zesty citrus with flinty minerality that had me going back for more! This is a great white for the summer glass but act quickly, only 250 cases were made!! True gem indeed.
2013 Azur Classic Cabernet Sauvignon ($79.95/btl)- Flashy, fleshy this impressive Cabernet overachieves for its price point with great balance, ripe flavors and a phenomenal structure that can take you a decade down the road with Cabernet bliss. Once again, this is oober-tiny in the production scale for Napa with only 272 cases made! If you are looking for a stunning Cabernet that can impress for under $100, this is a great wine to grab!
Lastly we tried the 2012 Azur Wines Reserve Red ($115/btl)- and it left a striking impression on us all! Beautifully integrated tannins and rich wild black and red fruit creates a mouthcoating sensation that every red wine lover must try. Sturdy backbone, ripe and juicy currants, explosive aromatics, great weight and texture, Julien nailed it with this ’12 Reserve! 260 cases made- grab a case to drink and a case for the cellar- you don’t want to miss this!
It’s no summer party without a 3L of Azur Rose!