Winemaker Notes
The Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon both truly expresses the depth and complexity of the grape as well as the additional vanilla, toasty oak influence of the bourbon and charred barrel that result from 3 months aging in these barrels. Grapes for our Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced across California’s wine country, imparting aromas and flavors of chocolate covered cherries, rich, dense black fruit and giving the wine beautiful mineral characteristics, while maintaining acidity that is bright and fresh. The result is a wine that is dense, rich, and jammed with scents of blackberry and vanilla and a long, mouth coating fi nish complimented by a hint of sweetness.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a fullbodied, inviting wine that smoothly blends alluring spices with tasty, generous fruit flavors. Oak spices of cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg merge with ripe red cherry, black plum and strawberry, while moderate fine-grained tannins frame it all.
Covering the most vine acreage in the state compared to any other red wine variety, Cabernet Sauvignon produces as much wine in California as Merlot and Pinot Noir combined. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates, as well as the freedom of its winemakers, allow for an incredible range of wine styles from this single grape.
California’s most famous region—and especially for Cabernet Sauvignon—is the acclaimed Napa Valley. While Cabernet is successful throughout the world, rarely has it achieved such merit as it does from the Napa Valley. At this point the two are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other.
Napa’s closest neighbor, Sonoma County, does an impressive job keeping up with Napa’s fame and glory. Alexander Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Moon Mountain and Knights Valley contribute to the lot of some of California’s top-rated Cabernet Sauvignon.
Lake County in California’s North Coast has become a focus for some of Napa’s more respected growers. From the Central Coast come iconic examples of classic California Cabernet; Lodi and the Sierra Foothills are great budget-friendly sources of amicable Cabernets.