Winemaker Notes
ELEVEN Cabernet Sauvignon was grown in select areas of Sonoma County. Our Northern Sonoma Valley vineyard source is perched on an impossibly steep hillside near Hood Mountain, where intensely rocky soils and elevations of 600 feet and higher coalesce to yield tiny, darkly pigmented berries. The sheer power of the Sonoma Valley fruit is framed and tamed by the refinement of our Alexander Valley vineyard, nestled in the mild climate of the southern Alexander Valley.
In the cellar our barrel regime is focused on a tightly curated range of French oak coopers with a focus on Seguin Moreau Icone, LeGrand, and Demptos. The artisan touches these cooperages provide contribute elegance, finesse, and background structure to the wine. Each Cabernet lot is fermented and aged separately in barrel for 14 months, then blended and aged a further 10 months as an ensemble.
The final blend is comprised of nearly equal parts from each region, displaying a purple core of luscious juicy ripe black fruits, blueberry, peppered meats, and rich earthen notes. The full-bodied mid-palate leads to a long finish with excellent balance and structure complimented by firm acidity and soft integrated tannins.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Ripe oaky black-fruits nose, forthright, with a trace of liquorice and tar. Fresh and tightly knit blackcurrant fruit on the palate with raspberry fresh acidity and grippy tannins. Finishes with savoury, herbal notes. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035
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Wine Enthusiast
Thick and rich in cherry, raspberry and oak, this is a full-bodied, entirely enjoyable wine. The layers of flavor are soft and well integrated, with touches of leather and baking spice.
While Sonoma County is acclaimed—and rightfully so—for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels, it also produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the region’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, only a handful produce top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations include Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons made in these appellations can offer a complex array of aromas and flavors. Fruit notes such as blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry and raspberry often are accompanied by hints of graphite, dusty earth, cigar box, toast and vanilla. The varietal has a rich history in Sonoma, and some of these Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends rival the best from Napa Valley.