Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The other cuvée I tasted is a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, primarily all Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) with just 1% of Merlot and Petit Verdot. This is a big cuvée of 9,941 cases, and again the pricing seems fair, especially for a wine at this level of quality. Full-bodied with a dense, ruby/purple color, and notes of new oak intermixed with blackcurrant, licorice, graphite and spice box, it possesses supple tannins, a subtle earthiness and a nice, long aftertaste. This is a heck-of-a mouthful of Cabernet Sauvignon that should age for at least a decade or more. The price is very modest.
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Wine Enthusiast
Powerfully dark in color and strong in aromas of blackberry and chocolate, this smooth, sizable wine has big tannins that soften as they go. Black pepper, tobacco and cinnamon round out on the palate, before a lengthy finish of coconut and vanilla.
BOLD. UNAPOLOGETIC.
Roth Estate is a bold expression of luxury Bordeaux varietals from Sonoma County’s best AVAs. The winery was founded in 2001 simply as a tribute to the founder’s family name and a desire to produce bold, powerful Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley with the truest and best expression of the land. As our respect for the craft grew, so did our mission to create a bold expression of luxury Bordeaux varietals from Sonoma County’s best AVAs alongside our drive to embrace and share the “ultimate life” through celebrating friends and family and championing bold, and incredible wine, food and experiences.
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.