Bond Melbury is a wood-aged red wine made with the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot varieties by the Californian Bond Estate winery in AVA Napa Valley.
The Bond Estate winery was founded in 1999 by H. William Harlan on a spectacular property located on the northern slopes of Lake Hennessey, California. With a portfolio of wines from five different locations, Harlan and his team of winemakers showcase the true expression of the Napa Valley ‘Grand Cru’. These wines are much appreciated for their charming and lively elegance.
Bond Melbury comes from a plot of almost 3 hectares with vines planted in sedimentary and clay soils. This is the smallest of the winery’s vineyards and is located on Greenfield Road in Conn Valley. The vines are cultivated using environmentally-friendly agriculture and the harvest is carried out manually when the grapes reach optimum ripeness.
In the winery, once the Bond Melbury grapes have been selected, they are gently squeezed to macerate and ferment with native yeasts. The wine then ages for 18 months in new 225-litre French oak barrels before being bottled.
Named after Melbury, a historic London area where the winery’s owners live most of the year, Bond Melbury is a wine made to age. Elegant and smooth in texture, it is best enjoyed after 5-7 years and will even age well for the next 30-35 years.