Winemaker Notes
- Wine Enthusiast
Robert Young Estate is among the most honored winegrowing properties in the world. The Robert Young vineyards are located on land blessed by nature with well-drained, rich soil and a moderate climate full of warm days to ripen Bordelaise grapes and cool nights to maintain acidity and freshness in the fruit. At the heart of the Young Estate is the family, who has farmed their ranch for four generations.
The Robert Young Scion, a Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is a fine example of a wine produced from fruit grown in a proper climate (Alexander Valley, Sonoma County) by experienced farmers and made by talented winemakers Kevin Warren and Richard Arrowood. The wine is rich and intense, loaded with fruity aromas and flavors of black cherries, plums, mocha chocolate and vanilla. Toasty French oak accompanies the fruit and adds complexity to this wine along with a lingering finish.
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Professional Ratings
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.