Winemaker Notes
Here in the Sierra Foothills the high mountainside and deep granite soils develop grapes for intense wines. We pick 75%of our fruit at elevations between 2,306 and 2,500 (!). The remaining 25% of the fruit is picked from the outstanding Rorick Heritage Vineyard property (literally a canyon inside the mountains) in Murphys, CA. The diverse soil here is rich in iron, decomposing granite and limestone (a unique combo in California). Yields are lower than in Napa Valley packing some deep concentration and depth.
Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon Duarte-Georgetown Vineyard in El Dorado County, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon Rorick Heritage Vineyard in Amador County, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon Element 79 Vineyard in El Dorado County.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This is an eye-opening wine that shows how good Cabernet from the Sierra Foothills can be. Beautiful deep black cherry and cassis aromas lead to broad generous flavors that instantly expand across the palate and accompany a moderately tannic, elegant texture. Hints of black fig, cedar and mint surround the concentrated fruit core, adding to the wine's complexity.
Editors' Choice
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.
Originally a source of oenological sustenance for gold-seeking miners of the mid-1800s, the Sierra Foothills was the first region in California to produce wines from European grape varieties. Located between Sacramento and the Nevada border, this area’s immigrant settlers chose to forgo growing the then-ubiquitous Mission grape and instead brought with them superior vines from the Old World to plant alongside mining camps.
Zinfandel has been the most important variety of this region since its inception, taking on a spicy character with brambly fruit and firm structure. Amador and El Dorado counties, benefiting from the presence of volcanic and granite soils, are home to the best examples. Bold, robust Rhône Blends and Barbera are also important regional specialties.