Winemaker Notes
SIMI 2017 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is dark garnet in color with a ruby edge. Toasty oak frames and adds depth to fruit aromas of dark bramble and dried blueberry, leading into intriguing notes of exotic spices and roasted coffee. Lifted aromas of juniper and subtle violet add generosity, layers, and aromatic complexity to this wine. Black fruit dominates the entry with blackberry and dark plum, followed by black licorice, cocoa, and dried herb, with a spicy, lifted mid-palate. A bit of peppery cassis leads the finish with some dried herb notes and supple yet firm tannins.
Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant, juicy, and incredibly food-friendly and it’s not difficult to pair with foods. It will bring out the best in grilled steaks with roasted mushrooms, Moroccan spiced lamb, and braised duck breast with carrot purée.
*This wine is in the process of changing the label for the 2017 vintage and customers may receive one of the two labels shown above: Simi Alexander Valley or Simi Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. Specific labels cannot be requested.
Critical Acclaim
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Since 1904, SIMI Winery has never been without a female winemaker on its staff. It began with Isabelle Simi who ran the winery for sixty-six years (1904-1970), to the first and second female graduates of the esteemed Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis (MaryAnn Graf and Zelma Long) and continues to this day with Director of Winemaking Susan Lueker. A scientist at heart, Susan fell in love with winemaking from her first enology class. In her words: “I loved the vineyard, the interaction with the people, nature and science”. Susan joined SIMI in 2000, and today she carries on Isabelle’s legacy while creating wines with harmony and a true sense of place that promote the unique beauty and diversity of Sonoma County.
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.
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.
