Our Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet sauvignon is blended from superior barrels of wine from select vineyards and appellations within the renowned Napa Valley.  Unlike our single-clone offerings of Cabernet, this blend brings the strengths of multiple clones together into a seamless wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.  The 2019 vintage of the Reserve Cabernet is a blend of vineyards located in the St. Helena, Rutherford, Mount Veeder, Yountville, and Howell Mountain appellations.

 

The grapes are hand-harvested and gently crushed to retain 60% whole berries.  Color and tannin extraction is accomplished via gentle cap irrigations. The grapes were drained and pressed at dryness. The free-run and press wines were kept separate.  Following fermentation, the wine went through malolactic fermentation in barrel and was then aged as independent lots.  The components were aged in all French oak barrels for 20 months and racked twice to naturally clarify the wine while developing and softening the tannins. With only light filtration and no fining, the wine was laid down in bottle for about a year prior to release.

 

Vintage 2019 brought a very even ripening season for most of northern California. Winter shared a little more rainfall than most recent years, easing the drought temporarily. Spring was gentle and warm, with an average timing for bud-break, and a steady growth pattern of spring. June and July turned up the heat - temperatures hovered in the 90s or higher, with a few sustained heat spells, and we moved into a moderately warm August with balanced vine growth producing healthy, leafy canopies.  Fortunately, even temperatures followed the hotter pre-veraison months, allowing fruit to hang and continue ripening through September’s end and well into October. We carefully scheduled picking, often in the coolest hours approaching sunrise.

 

Our Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon draws you in with an intense aroma of raspberries, pomegranate molasses, and hints of pastry strudel.  The flavors on the palate echo the nose with intense red berries, pastille, hibiscus tea and cherry cordial notes.  It has a delicious creamy mouthfeel, and the bright acidity and supple tannins make this a very food friendly wine, remarkably approachable in its youth. The finish leaves you with notes of toast.  Enjoy this wine in the near to mid-term, 5-8 years from release.