Winemaker Notes
This single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has a brilliant, deep red hue and opens with an appealing chorus of black currant, fig and dark chocolate aromas. Firm though fine tannins frame a generous mid-palate that leads to flavors of cassis, toast, portobello and subtle minerality. Suggestions of tobacco and anise harmonize on a lingering finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of sweet blackberries, cherries, graphite and plums. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated on the palate but not too heavy, showing blueberry flavors with an undercurrent of earthiness and chalk. Mouth-filling tannins and a touch of baking spices. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.
Organically farmed and masterfully crafted, Bonterra Organic Vineyards epitomizes wines that are perfectly in tune with nature. A celebration of farm-fresh flavors, the portfolio features wines coaxed from the earth by careful farming practices carried out on a dynamic network of estate and partner farms throughout California. In addition to a widely available collection of organically farmed wines that includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Equinox Red and Rosé, Bonterra crafts a trio of sought-after single-vineyard offerings from estate Biodynamic® vineyards in Mendocino County, and The Elysian Collection Merlot, an elevated offering from organic grapes.
Long before organic produce filled the shelves of neighborhood groceries, the dedicated team at Bonterra was committed to organic and Biodynamic® farming because they passionately believe that farms teeming with biodiversity—encompassing vines, insects and wildlife, and healthy soils—yield organic grapes leading to better wines. Whether supporting the health of honeybees with hive housing in its organic vineyards, trading tractors for sheep to maintain vineyards during the winter months, or giving back to the future of agriculture through educational outreach and shared knowledge, Bonterra strives to leave behind a legacy of thoughtful winegrowing inspired by the potential of nature itself.
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.
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.
