WINEMAKER NOTES
2011 Dana Estates Lotus Vineyard – Precision Cabernet from Napa's Rugged Hillside
The 2011 Dana Estates Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon offers a fascinating look into a cool-climate vintage interpreted through one of Napa Valley’s most meticulously farmed sites. Perched above St. Helena, the Lotus Vineyard is carved into volcanic bedrock, producing wines of formidable structure and tightly wound energy. Dana Estates, founded by Hi Sang Lee with Philippe Melka as winemaker, has developed a reputation for crafting expressive, age-worthy cult Cabernets from singular Napa terroirs.
Tasting Notes
This 2011 vintage reveals its cool growing season through lifted aromatics of blackcurrant, graphite, and dried lavender. The palate is firm, with savory layers of crushed rock, black tea, and charcoal-tinged blackberry. While brooding in structure, the wine retains a remarkable linearity and freshness, showcasing deft winemaking in a challenging vintage. Tannins are tightly integrated, giving it a long, focused finish that rewards decanting or further cellaring.
Winemaking & Vineyard Details
The Lotus Vineyard sits on volcanic soils, rich in basalt and iron. Vines are managed with intensive precision, allowing for slow ripening and low yields. The wine is composed entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented in small tanks with native yeasts and aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak. The 2011 vintage required even more stringent selection, with only the most pristine lots making it into the final blend.
Investment & Collectibility
Dana Estates’ production is extremely limited, and single-vineyard bottlings like Lotus represent some of Napa’s most serious collector offerings. The 2011 vintage, often overlooked due to its climatic challenges, is proving to be a sleeper hit with long-term potential and remarkable transparency. Perfect for your collection if you value refinement over sheer power.
Vintage Insights
2011 was marked by a cooler-than-average growing season and a wet harvest. However, sites like Lotus, with rocky soils and excellent drainage, fared better than valley floor locations. The result is a wine of restraint and mineral complexity—a contrast to the riper vintages that bookend it. It is aging slowly and gracefully.
Explore Related Collections
Shipping Information
Domestic Shipping
We currently ship wine to eligible U.S. states where the shipment of alcohol is legally permitted. Orders are fulfilled via UPS or FedEx, so please plan according to the carrier's delivery schedule.
Orders placed Monday through Thursday before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time typically ship the same day. Orders placed after 2:00 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday will ship the following Monday.
Same-day delivery may be available within the Los Angeles Metro area if placed before noon. Please contact us at (626) 714-7006 to arrange expedited local service.
Packaging & Temperature-Sensitive Shipping
To protect wine quality, all orders are packed in EPS foam shippers, with gel packs when necessary.
Wine is temperature-sensitive and may be affected by excessive heat, freezing temperatures, or significant temperature fluctuations during transit. During periods of elevated temperature risk, we strongly recommend selecting Next Day Air service whenever available.
Customers requesting shipment during warm or cold weather conditions must review and agree to our Temperature Protection & Shipping Policy. By requesting shipment, customers acknowledge and accept the risks associated with temperature exposure, carrier delays, failed delivery attempts, and other transit-related conditions outside of Angry Wine Merchant's control.
For OWC (Original Wooden Case) orders, bottles are removed and shipped in foam for safety. The wooden case ships separately via Ground unless otherwise requested.
Weather Holds & Free Storage
In periods of extreme heat or cold, we reserve the right to delay shipment until safer conditions return. Customers may also request that we hold an order for future shipment.
We offer complimentary temperature-controlled storage for up to 6 months from the date of purchase. Select the "Hold for Weather" option at checkout and we will coordinate shipping at a later date.
Insurance
We provide free shipping insurance for loss or visible damage during transit, subject to carrier terms and conditions.
Shipping insurance does not cover deterioration in wine condition resulting from heat exposure, freezing temperatures, temperature fluctuations, carrier delays, missed delivery attempts, carrier holds, or other temperature-related transit conditions. Please review our Temperature Protection & Shipping Policy for more information.
Adult Signature Required
All shipments of alcohol require an adult signature (21+) upon delivery. Carriers will not release packages without adult authorization.
Customers are responsible for ensuring that an eligible adult is available to receive the shipment on the first delivery attempt. Additional charges may apply for re-delivery, redirection, failed delivery attempts, returned shipments, or reshipment.
Shipping Address Accuracy
Orders are shipped to the exact shipping address provided at checkout. Angry Wine Merchant is not responsible for errors or omissions in the address submitted by the customer.
If a package is delayed, returned, misdelivered, or requires rerouting due to incorrect or incomplete shipping details, the customer assumes full responsibility. Additional shipping fees may apply if reshipment is required. By placing an order, you confirm that the shipping address entered is correct and agree to these terms.
International Shipping
We do offer international shipping where legally allowed. For details, click here or contact us directly.
States We Ship To
We ship to the following U.S. states:
Alabama (AL), Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC), South Dakota (SD), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VA), Washington (WA), West Virginia (WV), Wisconsin (WI), Wyoming (WY)
Shipping laws and carrier availability may change. If your state does not appear as an available shipping destination during checkout, we are unable to ship there at this time. Please contact us if you would like to confirm current eligibility.
2011 Dana Estates Lotus Vineyard – Precision Cabernet from Napa's Rugged Hillside
The 2011 Dana Estates Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon offers a fascinating look into a cool-climate vintage interpreted through one of Napa Valley’s most meticulously farmed sites. Perched above St. Helena, the Lotus Vineyard is carved into volcanic bedrock, producing wines of formidable structure and tightly wound energy. Dana Estates, founded by Hi Sang Lee with Philippe Melka as winemaker, has developed a reputation for crafting expressive, age-worthy cult Cabernets from singular Napa terroirs.
Tasting Notes
This 2011 vintage reveals its cool growing season through lifted aromatics of blackcurrant, graphite, and dried lavender. The palate is firm, with savory layers of crushed rock, black tea, and charcoal-tinged blackberry. While brooding in structure, the wine retains a remarkable linearity and freshness, showcasing deft winemaking in a challenging vintage. Tannins are tightly integrated, giving it a long, focused finish that rewards decanting or further cellaring.
Winemaking & Vineyard Details
The Lotus Vineyard sits on volcanic soils, rich in basalt and iron. Vines are managed with intensive precision, allowing for slow ripening and low yields. The wine is composed entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented in small tanks with native yeasts and aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak. The 2011 vintage required even more stringent selection, with only the most pristine lots making it into the final blend.
Investment & Collectibility
Dana Estates’ production is extremely limited, and single-vineyard bottlings like Lotus represent some of Napa’s most serious collector offerings. The 2011 vintage, often overlooked due to its climatic challenges, is proving to be a sleeper hit with long-term potential and remarkable transparency. Perfect for your collection if you value refinement over sheer power.
Vintage Insights
2011 was marked by a cooler-than-average growing season and a wet harvest. However, sites like Lotus, with rocky soils and excellent drainage, fared better than valley floor locations. The result is a wine of restraint and mineral complexity—a contrast to the riper vintages that bookend it. It is aging slowly and gracefully.
Explore Related Collections
2011 Dana Estates Lotus Vineyard – Precision Cabernet from Napa's Rugged Hillside
The 2011 Dana Estates Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon offers a fascinating look into a cool-climate vintage interpreted through one of Napa Valley’s most meticulously farmed sites. Perched above St. Helena, the Lotus Vineyard is carved into volcanic bedrock, producing wines of formidable structure and tightly wound energy. Dana Estates, founded by Hi Sang Lee with Philippe Melka as winemaker, has developed a reputation for crafting expressive, age-worthy cult Cabernets from singular Napa terroirs.
Tasting Notes
This 2011 vintage reveals its cool growing season through lifted aromatics of blackcurrant, graphite, and dried lavender. The palate is firm, with savory layers of crushed rock, black tea, and charcoal-tinged blackberry. While brooding in structure, the wine retains a remarkable linearity and freshness, showcasing deft winemaking in a challenging vintage. Tannins are tightly integrated, giving it a long, focused finish that rewards decanting or further cellaring.
Winemaking & Vineyard Details
The Lotus Vineyard sits on volcanic soils, rich in basalt and iron. Vines are managed with intensive precision, allowing for slow ripening and low yields. The wine is composed entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented in small tanks with native yeasts and aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak. The 2011 vintage required even more stringent selection, with only the most pristine lots making it into the final blend.
Investment & Collectibility
Dana Estates’ production is extremely limited, and single-vineyard bottlings like Lotus represent some of Napa’s most serious collector offerings. The 2011 vintage, often overlooked due to its climatic challenges, is proving to be a sleeper hit with long-term potential and remarkable transparency. Perfect for your collection if you value refinement over sheer power.
Vintage Insights
2011 was marked by a cooler-than-average growing season and a wet harvest. However, sites like Lotus, with rocky soils and excellent drainage, fared better than valley floor locations. The result is a wine of restraint and mineral complexity—a contrast to the riper vintages that bookend it. It is aging slowly and gracefully.
Explore Related Collections
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