Winemaker Notes
Drawn together through a blind tasting group, the families of Red Stitch Wine (the Aurilias, Miceks and Roberts) have become close friends and devoted wine enthusiasts. As their love for wine brought them closer together, their relationships across Napa and Sonoma grew deeper as well. After the 2008 baseball season ended for Rich and Dave, they started to lay the groundwork for their venture into the wine business. Enjoying one incredible tasting after another across the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, visits with Rolando Herrera of Mi Sueño Winery, and the story of his passion for the art of ?ne wine, led us to friendship and an ultimate partnership. Rolando's knowledge, relationships and enthusiasm for Red Stitch have given us the opportunity to source incredible grapes from some of the ?nest vineyards in the Napa Valley. Since the formation of Red Stitch, Rich, Amy, Dave, Tricia, John and Noelle have been intimately involved in the winemaking process, and have worked closely with Rolando and the entire Mi Sueño family to craft a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec that would stand the test of time. This hands-on approach de?nes their group's desire to be involved in all aspects of the winemaking process. The inclusion of the Malbec varietal in their ?agship Cabernet Sauvignon is both due to the varietal's outstanding characteristics and the layers that it brings to the wine, as well as the fact that a fantastic Malbec tasting ?rst brought their families together in San Francisco!
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.