Winemaker Notes
Rich garnet color with deep, purple layers. Aromas of plum and blackberry, layered with elegant floral tones of lavender and sage that enhance underlying vanilla tones. A fruity palate with bold texture and a juicy mouthfeel.
Leading U.S. wine & spirits importer Palm Bay International is pleased to present an exciting new range of California wines called Mon Frère. French for ‘my brother’, Mon Frère is a celebration of our connections to each other, to those special people with whom we choose to share life’s triumphs and tribulations. The range includes three expressions: a fresh Chardonnay with moderate, well-integrated oak, a Pinot Noir that delivers ripe, rich fruit flavors, and a Cabernet Sauvignon that expresses concentrated, ripe fruit and firm structure while remaining smooth and approachable.
Developed and vinified by an exceptional team led by Tom Hinde, chief winemaker for the celebrated Au Contraire Wines, Mon Frère Winery champions the very best in quality California sourcing and winemaking. The Mon Frère packaging playfully celebrates friendship in its many shapes and sizes through hand-drawn custom illustrations and lighthearted copy.
Celebrating 42 years in 2019, Palm Bay International is a progressive, family-owned wine & spirits organization that is a proven industry leader. Palm Bay has its roots in Italian wine and now offers one of the most comprehensive portfolios in the U.S., comprising prestigious estates, distilleries and popular brands from 17 countries. In recent years, under the leadership of third generation family member and CEO Marc D. Taub, Palm Bay has been developing a growing cache of domestic wines.
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.