Picket Fence Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
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Pair with grilled grass-fed beef or bison or try with aged and semi-hard cheeses, pistachios and walnuts.
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Rich and thick in chocolate mocha and a punch of espresso, this wine offers great value. It showcases the cooler side of the variety in cedar undertones, while delivering decadent counterpoint with its suggestion of bacon. A lift of acidity brightens the finish.
Picket Fence also reunites old friends, vineyard manager Pete Opatz and winemaker Don Van Staaveren, two wine legends who have crafted some of Sonoma County's most highly acclaimed wines. Pete brings intimate knowledge of the Russian River appellation and cultivates flavorful grapes that fully express the exceptional characteristics found in our Picket Fence vineyards. Don blends these grapes to reveal their true essence, creating luscious wines with the classic Russian River profile of richness and balance.
Created in small lots, Picket Fence Chardonnay and Pinot Noir celebrate our passion for the Russian River Valley and our sentiment that wine is a way of bringing family and friends together.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.