2013 Philip Togni Vineyard Ca’ Togni Sweet Red (375ml)

When Philip Togni planted his home site in the 1980s, he ran out of Cabernet vines and decided to plant the last 39 vines to a little-known Muscat variety called Black Hamburg. Why not make a sweet red wine in the style of the famed Vin de Constance of the South African Cape? Until 2017, Togni’s half-acre of vines represented Napa’s sole planting of the variety. Alas, the grape’s susceptibility to Pearce’s disease sealed the small plot’s fate, and after many attempts to salvage it, the decision was made to replant to Cabernet Sauvignon. So, this is one of the last releases of a slice of Napa Valley history.

Togni harvests very late in the season when the fruit is very ripe (19.4 Baumé in 2013), often shrivelled on the vine. The fruit macerates for about seven days to give colour and is then pressed and aged in very old oak barrels for just under a year before bottling. The final residual sugar clocks in at 329 g/L, the alcohol at 14%, and yet the wine remains superbly balanced and not at all heavy on the palate. It is intensely aromatic and long and is best served after a meal in the style of Amarone or Port.

Other Reviews....
The 2013 Ca'Togni is one of the finest editions of Togni's Black Hamburg dessert wine I have ever tasted, maybe the very best. Apparently 2013 was an exceptional vintage for Togni across the board. Unctuous, deep and concentrated, the 2013 offers tons of intensity in its hard candy, floral, savory and tea infused flavors. All of the beguiling, exotic notes typical of Ca' Togni are amped up in the exquisite 2013. Drink 2018-2023.
94 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous