Winemaker Notes
The aromatic profile is rich with bing cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and dried sage. The palate has excellent weight supporting flavors and dried cranberry, cherries jubliee, and vanilla cream.
Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 0.4% Syrah, 0.2% Malbec, 0.1% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pouring a dark red color, the 2022 Baby Blue is generous and inviting with notes of fruit punch, toasted baking spice, crushed flowers, and fresh forest herbs. Full-bodied, it’s a highly appealing and charming wine with a fruity feel, ripe tannins, even acidity, and a clean finish. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon along with 13% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Syrah 2% Malbec, and 1% Cab Franc, I enjoy this wine in this vintage, and it stays refreshing, which can pose a challenge with some 2022s.
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James Suckling
A supple, deeply fruity wine that’s generous in blueberry, milk chocolate and black cherry flavors on a full body. Mild tannins keep the texture smooth and easy in this Bordeaux-style red blend that is dominated by cabernet sauvignon.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.