Winemaker Notes
Rock Carved Cabernet Sauvignon offers succulent blackberry, plum and currant flavors along with cedar, leather and mocha. It’s full-bodied, multilayered, and complex with balanced acidity, smooth, rich tannins and a long, lingering finish.
Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Fresh and inviting scents of violets and blueberry rise from the glass of this round, juicy, and plus red (with 9% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet), which exudes flavors of dark chocolate, fennel, balsamic, and jasmine. It remains expressive and charismatic through the concentrated finish of lavender and crushed stone.
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Wine Enthusiast
Attractive oak spice, turned earth and tobacco aromas lead to an expansive palate rich in cooked berries, dark plums and blueberries. The wine’s fascinating oak and delicious fruit flavors linger nicely on the finish.
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.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.