Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A deep and dark color signals the concentrated flavors to come in this very ripe, opulent and ultimately gentle wine. Cinnamon, clove and cedar notes waft up from the glass, with rich blueberry, blackberry and espresso flavors that coat the palate. Grown at 2,640 feet in a vineyard strewn with sharp, black obsidian rocks, the wine is packed with minute threads of tannin that add good grip to the texture without being at all drying. Best after 2023. Cellar Selection.
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.
Located within the greater Clear Lake appellation, the Red Hills AVA is perhaps the hottest spot right now in Lake County for new Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards. Recognizing the potential of its volcanic and obsidian heavy soils, many respected growers are flocking to the area. Andy Beckstoffer, a leader in escalating the quality and recognition of Napa Valley, has already invested heavily in the area.