Winemaker Notes
This Cabernet Sauvignon pairs beautifully with braised short ribs with salsa verde, tortellini with a Gorgonzola cream sauce, roasted duck with blackberry moustarda, or eggplant Parmesan with mushrooms and tomatoes.
Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, 2% Tannat
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
The 170-acre Landslide Vineyard is so diverse in terroir that it’s farmed as three different blocks. Aromas of cherry and cedar lead to espresso, earth, and graphite. Cabernet Franc (10%) is blended in to offer up some spice, joining Merlot (5%) along with small percentages of Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Tannat. Red fruits dominate their blue counterparts, and a tart, salty freshness ensues. The supple tannins lend a curvature of texture to the finish of cherry, chocolate, and toasty oak.
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.