Napa Valley
$89 (Wine Club Reorder Price: $80)
“It’s 11:11, make a wish!” While you may not have participated in making a wish, I’m sure at some point in your life you’ve caught the clock at it’s perfectly balanced time of 11:11. Some people believe it’s good luck, some believe it’s a channel to awaken your higher self, but in the case of Eleven Eleven winery, it’s a sign of serendipity.
Ellie Anest and Aurelien Roulin met in circumstances that in hindsight seem fated: onboard an international flight. Their in-flight conversation sparked an immediate connection, highlighting a shared entrepreneurial spirit and aspirations. The pair quickly realized they shared many common interests, including wine. They began their partnership with a real estate investment and out of pure coincidence, the land they purchased came with a world-class estate vineyard. Shortly after, Aurelien connected with Kirk Venge at a party when he asked Kirk to come check out the vineyard and help them decide if they should sell the grapes or make their own wine. Once Kirk took a look at the special terroir their vineyard had, he insisted they make their own wine and let him be their winemaker.
We originally discovered this winery when on a search for new wines made by Kirk Venge. We had an appointment on the calendar to try the wines – unfortunately the day before our appointment, we had to close our doors due to the COVID-19 shut down. Over the next year we kind of forgot about 11:11…until one of our sales reps reached out to share with us this new brand she just picked up – 11:11 of course! We were really impressed with the wines, including a Beckstoffer sauvignon Blanc and a Bacigalupi Pinot Noir. This “XI” Cabernet Sauvignon was a new and never before wine they made and just released (perfect timing if you ask me).
The “XI” is a red blend with all five of the Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) from their estate vineyard located in the Oak Knoll AVA of Napa Valley. Layers of cacao, raspberry, cinnamon and nutmeg are the most prominent flavors followed by a hint of white pepper. When you pair this wine with food, make sure to decant it to unlock powerhouse flavors of dark plum and black olive. Like any Cabernet, this will go great with your steak dinner but we’re most excited to pair it with a baked apple crisp drizzled in caramel. Yum!
Taylor Morgan – April 2021
Bacchus & Venus Wines 