Winemaker Notes
Individual barrels are selected from our finest lots each year to compose the Impassable Mountain. Two lots from the upper ridgeline were selected for their power and pure expression of our unique terroir. This vintage is a study in focus and purity, and the concentration and structure will allow it to evolve and unfold for decades to come. This inimitable wine shows dense characters both savory and sweet: black fruit, raspberry, vanilla, clove, cocoa nib, tarragon, cedar, black tea, in endless recursive layers of flavor and texture.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Impassable Mountain (from the Hidden Ridge vineyard) is deep garnet-purple colored and scented of crème de cassis, plum preserves and wild blueberries with hints of cigar box, yeast extract, beef drippings and fertile loam. Full-bodied and chock-full of fragrant black fruits, it has a solid frame of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory.
Rating: 94+
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.