Sanctuary Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Brilliant, velvet red color. Aromas of boysenberry, red currant, pencil shaving, dust and herbs de Provence. Mid-bodies, ample mid-palate with soft tannin structure and hints of oak in the finish.
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Wine & Spirits
Tight and austere when first opened, this wine takes a day to begin to show itself. What starts as a perfumed note, one that takes Rutherford dust into powder-puff territory, begins to turn toward green-tea-leaf as the tannins allow the firm and juicy core of the wine to show. Give this several hours in a decanter or several years in the cellar for the structure to relent.
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A confluence of characteristics—soil, climate, elevation, sun exposure—creates a harmonious interplay between grape variety and vineyard site. The right terroir can bring a specific grape to its ultimate expression, making the vineyard a sanctuary.
Our winemaker seeks iconic sites, farmed by generations of experts who intuitively understand how to coax pure varietal character from the vines. In the glass, Sanctuary presents classically styled wines that reflect their distinct origins. These wines include a Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley, a Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Rutherford Bench.
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.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.