Winemaker Notes
In the continued quest to deliver impressive quality at a reasonable price, we have moved our vineyard sourcing beyond the confines of Napa Valley. In addition to familiar vineyards in Napa, we have also found high quality vineyards in exciting AVAs such as the Red Hills in Lake County, Yorkville Highlands in Mendocino County, and stalwarts such at Alexander Valley and Dry Creek in Sonoma County. The result is a beautiful wine that exhibits the richness, balance, and elegance that has come to be expected from the Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark red in color, with aromas of dark berries and some herbs. Our Cabernet is restrained in style, not over-ripe or overly extracted. Meant to be balanced and approachable on its own and pair well with food.
Blend: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Starmont Winery and Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon highlights the potential of the North Coast AVA. While many folks overlook this AVA designation, this wine shows what wine lovers could potentially be missing. TASTING NOTES: This wine comes to the party with excellent aromas and flavors of substantial black fruit that last nicely into the wine's finish. Bring a juicy, grilled ribeye to the table and watch all the food and wine disappear. (Tasted: July 28, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
This fresh and focused red shows aromas of blackberries and cassis, as well as some vanilla and licorice. Dry and well-balanced. The tannins are rather austere, but it’s a matter of time before it becomes well integrated. Drinkable now, but better after 2021.
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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.