Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Smooth, fresh and juicy with plum, spice and hints of oak; nicely balanced, charming and long.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of those great values is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma (87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petite Sirah and the rest Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Franc that achieved 13.9% alcohol). The wine’s pH of 3.8 probably explains its silky texture. There are 420,000 cases of this dense wine that exhibits lots of black currant and black cherry fruit intertwined with background earth and oak (it was aged in tanks with French and American staves). This medium to full-bodied Cabernet reveals excellent purity as well as lots of flavor intensity.
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.