Winemaker Notes
Our flagship wine: a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec & Petit Verdot from our estate vineyards on Chalk Hill. The Calluna Estate is a monumental wine in 2016.
Blend: 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A similar blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and the rest Malbec, the 2016 Estate offers more crème de cassis, crushed violets, lead pencil, and crushed mineral aromas and flavors. The finest wine I've tasted from this estate, it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated, has building tannins, and considerable elegance and purity. Give bottles 2-4 years of bottle age, and it will keep for two decades or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Calluna Estate is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Medium to deep ruby-purple, it has a minerally nose with graphite and iron over blackcurrant, black plum and turned earth. The palate is medium to full-bodied with rich black fruits, very firm, chewy tannins and good freshness, finishing on a loamy earth note.
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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.