2013 Morlet Family Vineyards Billet Doux

The 2013 Morlet Family Vineyards ‘Billet Doux’ is a luxuriously styled, botrytised white wine from Napa Valley that easily invites comparison with top Sauternes. Crafted in tiny quantities from intensely concentrated Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat, it is a true “love letter” in the glass, reflecting both old-world inspiration and Californian energy. Praised by critics as a brilliant achievement, this late-harvest cuvée captures the richness, perfume and precision that have made Morlet one of Napa’s most sought-after names.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, 2013 Billet Doux shows a deep golden hue with bright amber highlights, hinting at both concentration and maturity. The nose is highly expressive and layered: notes of lemon curd, dried apricot, white peach and pineapple intertwine with nuances of dried meat, sea salt, roasted vanilla, blossom and a resinous pine lift, all framed by the signature botrytis spice. On the palate, the wine is opulent yet finely balanced, with a rich, silken texture. Flavours of orange zest, apricot confit and verbena unfold across the mid-palate, supported by vibrant, refreshing acidity that keeps the sweetness in perfect check. The finish is long and luxurious, echoing crème brûlée, caramelised citrus and subtle toasted vanilla with beautifully integrated acidity. As a serious, sweet white in the Sauternes idiom, it has excellent aging potential; properly cellared, it should continue to gain complexity and honeyed depth over 10–20 years from the vintage, developing more dried fruit, nutty and marmalade nuances.

Production
Billet Doux is sourced from old vines rooted in the gravelly soils of an ancient riverbed in the picturesque Alexander Valley. Warm, sun-drenched afternoons are tempered by cool, foggy mornings—conditions that are ideal for the development of Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), which concentrates sugars, flavours and acidity in the berries. Yields are kept extremely low in the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat parcels to maximise intensity. The grapes are carefully hand-harvested in multiple passes, with pickers selecting only perfectly botrytised clusters. In the cellar, Morlet follows a low-intervention, old-world–inspired approach: gentle pressing of the late-harvest fruit, followed by slow, temperature-controlled fermentation—typically in French oak barrels—to build texture and complexity, and élevage on the lees to enhance richness and aromatic finesse.

Food & Serving
This lavish sweet wine is a natural match for classic foie gras, blue cheeses such as Roquefort or Stilton, and rich pâtés, where its sweetness and acidity cut through the fat beautifully. It also shines alongside fruit-based desserts—think apricot tart, tarte Tatin, lemon curd pavlova or vanilla panna cotta—and can provide a luxurious contrast to salty nuts or lightly spiced, aromatic Asian dishes. Serve lightly chilled at around 10–12°C (50–54°F) to showcase its aromatics and texture. Decanting is optional but a short aeration in the glass will allow the wine’s layers of botrytis character, exotic fruit and vanilla-spice complexity to fully unfurl.

Producer
Morlet Family Vineyards, founded by husband-and-wife team Luc and Jodie Morlet, is based in the charming town of St. Helena at the heart of Napa Valley. Luc, a French-born winemaker with deep roots in Champagne and Burgundy, brought classic old-world sensibilities to California and quickly earned a reputation for precision-crafted, terroir-driven wines. The estate focuses on low yields, meticulous vineyard care and artisanal, low-intervention winemaking, producing highly sought-after bottlings from Napa Valley, Oakville and the Sonoma Coast, as well as distinctive late-harvest cuvées like Billet Doux. Morlet’s wines have garnered critical acclaim and high scores from leading reviewers, cementing the family’s status as one of the reference-point producers in contemporary Napa and a significant bridge between European tradition and Californian innovation.

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