Winemaker Notes
To honor the revered wine grape of Alexander Valley and the inaugural vintage of Outerbound, this wine was sourced from three select vineyards on the west side of the AVA. It offers notes of black fruit, gooseberry and dried herbs. Medium to full in body, this wine is filled with flavors of black currants, plums and baking spice blending seamlessly with prominent tannins that linger until the next sip.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
This is serious Cabernet that rings up at a not-too-daunting SRP. Light and pleasant herbal scents show a classic profile that echoes on the palate, with fruit that was moderately ripened and fermented to dryness without resulting in any austerity on the finish. Cassis and blackberry flavors are precise and satisfying, and the use of 45% new oak lends a bit of spice and firmness without stealing center stage from the fruit.
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.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.