Winemaker Notes
Blend: 75.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24.6% Merlot
The grapes were fermented eleven days in stainless steel to complete yeast fermentation, followed by four weeks in large oak cooperage while completing malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in 67% French and 33% American small oak barrels for twelve months and in large oak cooperage for an additional six months. The wine was then bottled and aged for an additional seventeen months at the winery so that upon release, it would be elegant and approachable.
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.