Winemaker Notes
Saracina Vineyards is a 400-acre winery estate located in Mendocino County. The winery and vineyards are Certified California Sustainable (“CSWA”) and home to a tasting room, a 140-year-old olive grove, vegetable gardens, beehives, alpacas, and all manner of bird and wild animal life.
Saracina’s location in Hopland is close to the southern border of Mendocino County, along the head waters of the Russian River. This area is a 90-minute drive north of San Francisco, and 30 miles north of the town of Healdsburg, in northern Sonoma County.
Winemaker Alex MacGregor joined John Fetzer, the original founder of Saracina Vineyards, in 2002, and has been making Saracina’s wines ever since. As a result of Alex’s commitment to quality, strong ties to the community, and long-standing grower relationships, Saracina Vineyards has been regarded as one of the most consistent wine producers in Mendocino County. And in 2018, Marc D. Taub took on stewardship of the Saracina Estate & Vineyards, upholding the spirit of family legacy that has defined this iconic Mendocino winery since inception.
The handcrafted, limited-production Saracina Vineyards wines reflect a conscious sense of this beautiful place in Mendocino County.
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.
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.