HandCraft Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
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As part of one of California’s oldest winemaking families, Cheryl has been in the wine industry since she was a little girl, doing odd jobs at the winery and in the vineyards with her siblings and cousins. Today, that group of hard working kids represents the current leadership of DFV Wines: the third generation of the family owned and operated vineyards and wineries.
Originally built on the hard work of patriarch Gasparé Indelicato, the company went from farming grapes to making its first vintage of wine in 1935 after Prohibition ended. “We have such a strong family tradition with wine, and that’s important to me,” Cheryl explains. “My grandfather, Gasparé, learned winemaking from his father. And my Dad and his brothers learned it from Gasparé. I knew I would work toward continuing that legacy.”
Although Cheryl grew up working at the winery, her parents insisted that all of “Generation Three” graduate from college and gather outside experience by working elsewhere for at least three years before coming back to the family business. Taking this sage advice, she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business in 1989 from California State University, Stanislaus and a Registered Nursing degree in 1985.
It did not take long for Cheryl to return to the winery. Launching her official career in 1990, she worked in various facets of the business; from sales and marketing to human resources to public relations and is now proprietor for HandCraft wines.
HandCraft wines provide Cheryl with the opportunity to recreate the fruit forward, delicious wines that she remembered on the family table when she was growing up. A dash of Italian varietals are added to the final wine blends and the result is simply delicious. It’s what makes HandCraft wines easy to enjoy, distinctive and memorable.
Covering the most vine acreage in the state compared to any other red wine variety, Cabernet Sauvignon produces as much wine in California as Merlot and Pinot Noir combined. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates, as well as the freedom of its winemakers, allow for an incredible range of wine styles from this single grape.
California’s most famous region—and especially for Cabernet Sauvignon—is the acclaimed Napa Valley. While Cabernet is successful throughout the world, rarely has it achieved such merit as it does from the Napa Valley. At this point the two are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other.
Napa’s closest neighbor, Sonoma County, does an impressive job keeping up with Napa’s fame and glory. Alexander Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Moon Mountain and Knights Valley contribute to the lot of some of California’s top-rated Cabernet Sauvignon.
Lake County in California’s North Coast has become a focus for some of Napa’s more respected growers. From the Central Coast come iconic examples of classic California Cabernet; Lodi and the Sierra Foothills are great budget-friendly sources of amicable Cabernets.