Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Sixty-five percent of the vines planted in Rockpile are Zinfandel," says Clay Mauritson. "What's gotten lost in that narrative is how unbelievable Cabernet Sauvignon is in Rockpile. It has a lot of similarities to places like Napa." Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon Rockpile Ridge Vineyard is blended of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, aged 20 months in French oak. It has a nose with red and black cherries and currants, milk chocolate, star anise, cardamom, cedar and touches of minerals and beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, it's very plush and spicy in the mouth with tons of baby fat fruit, segueing to mineral and licorice notions. It has a firm frame of chalky tannins and good freshness to lift the long, layered finish. Leave this in the cellar for another three to five years and drink it over the next 20+.
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Jeb Dunnuck
I loved the bouquet of the 2016 Rockpile Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Rockpile Ridge Vineyard and it's all from the Rockpile Vineyard and has loads of blackcurrants, plums, spice box, and dried herb notes. Rounded, rich, and fleshy on the palate, it has ripe, polished tannins, good balance, and a clean, elegant finish. The final blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, all aged 20 months in French oak.
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.
High elevation vineyards—800 to 2,100 feet—on well-drained soils of red and brown clay loam, gravel and large rock outcroppings produce low yields of intense, high-quality fruit. Surrounded by Northern Sonoma County and overlapping Dry Creek Valley in its northwest corner, the Rockpile AVA produces some of California most powerful Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.