Text by: Symbolic Wines team
The story of a cult winery, one visionary entrepreneur and the long way from blank page to world recognition and super-exclusive fan club. This is how Sloan Estate was born.
The Sloan Estate story began in 1997, when Stuart Sloan purchased 16 hectares of prime land in the Napa Valley. Previously the owner of a supermarket chain in the US, he sold his business and moved from Washington to California with the goal of becoming the owner of a premium winery. The only thing left to do was to create one. The German writer Lion Feuchtwanger said about people like Stuart Sloan: "A talented person is talented everywhere." And what exactly is entrepreneurial talent?
WINE REGION Rutherford AVA
VINEYARD 5.3 hectares
YEAR OF PLANTING 1997
ALTITUDE 267-274 meters
SOILS volcanic, sandy loam
GRAPES Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 25%, Cabernet Franc 8%, Petit Verdot 2%
AGE OF VINES 25 years
AVERAGE YIELD 5-6 tons / hectare
WINEMAKER Martha McClellan
VINEGROWER David Abrew
WINE CONSULTANT Michel Rolland
OWNER Sutong Pan
Perhaps it is in choosing the right team that will lead to success? Or in being able to create a successful brand from scratch? We have already talked about the Abreu Vineyards winery, the founder of which, in addition to producing his own wines in the Napa Valley, also acts as one of the key winegrowers of this famous wine region. At the end of the last century, that same David Abreu acted as a consultant in the creation of the Sloan Estate winery. Five hectares of prime Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot vineyards were planted in mineral-rich, porous volcanic soil. In 2001, world-renowned oenologist Michel Rolland joined David as a consulting oenologist, followed by esteemed winemaker Martha McClellan.
For over 15 years, Stuart Sloan worked with his stellar team to create not only fine wines, but also a brand for the iconic winery. His enterprise became so significant that he was able to sell the winery and estate itself to another businessman, this time not from Seattle, but from faraway Hong Kong. The total amount of the deal was not disclosed, but rumor has it that it was ten times Stuart’s original investment. The new owner of the winery, Sutong Pan, visited Sloan Estate in 2011 and immediately fell in love with the estate. After purchasing the winery from Stuart Sloan, he kept the entire team intact, as he is a serious connoisseur of their work. When the first vintage of 2000 was released in 2004, it became clear to everyone that the juicy, dense and complex Bordeaux blends* of the Sloan Estate were not to be taken lightly. With a limited annual production of 500-600 cases, a 100-point rating from wine critics and a super-exclusive mailing list intended for the most elite and long-time oenophiles, these wines are almost impossible to get. The winery's direct mailing list itself is long and full, and you can only sign up for a waiting list. And with only 1,400 spots on it, the chances of getting on it are slim. However, a very small number of wines (often as few as 60 bottles per region per year) are exported.
*Bordeaux blend – from English. "Bordeaux blend" or "Bordeaux blend" is a well-established concept in the world of wine connoisseurs: wine made from grape varieties traditional for red winemaking in Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc.
Since the first harvest in 2000, it has been a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Multilayered and rich, SLOAN demonstrates a magnificent combination of elegance and power, balance and richness of taste. The 2002 and 2007 vintages received the highest critical acclaim "perfect wine".
The creation of the second wine began with the production of three barrels of wine from the 2004 vintage, intended for sale under its own brand to one of Stuart Sloan's friends in Seattle. In the end, this wine was never sold. It was decided to release it under the second label. This wine is an alternative, yet equally elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties grown in the estate's vineyards.
You might also like to read this article from our columnist, Greg Somm, about Sloan Estate and Abreu Vineyard’s “second” wines.
