Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hawkeye is a well-built, structured, deep and potentially complex wine that has plenty of upside. Dense ruby/purple, full-bodied, very young and backward, this wine does offer impressive texture, depth and quality. Drink 2017-2030.
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Wine Enthusiast
From a site with elevation rising as high as 2,200 feet, this wine delivers tremendous complexity and minerality, the grapes from volcanic soils. Meaty, with a wisp of smoky char, it's ripe and full bodied in cherry and cassis, nuances of bay leaf and rocky tannin.
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Wine Spectator
Charming, with a mix of rustic dusty berry and hot brick flavors, fine-grained tannins and subtle hints of gravelly tobacco. Gains depth and nuance on the finish. Drink now through 2026. 3,202 cases made.
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.