Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesLush color and a deep, intense nose; pure and juicy, with ripe plum and an impressively layered style; expressive, long, and refined.
At Stave & Steel, we celebrate the American heritage of innovation and craftsmanship with a winemaking approach that's bold and unconventional. Progress is always our first priority - which is why we've embarked on a new barrel-aging experience. Stave & Steel is 100% premium California Cabernet Sauvignon that is 100% aged in bourbon barrels for 4 months. Stave & Steel represents the two most important parts of the barrel: the toasted oak staves which impart flavor dimension and aroma to the wine and the steel rivets that hold the barrels together. We use repurposed Kentucky bourbon barrels rather than traditional barrels to add layers of depth and complexity to the wine. The bourbon-drenched staves enhance the natural, varietal characteristics of Cabernet while imparting bold, lingering bourbon notes that merge artfully into our wine as it ages creating an elegant fusion of flavor. Our maker, James Foster, has been crafting wines for over 20 years. He enjoys pushing the envelope, and being able to innovate and experiment with new types of wine styles. After two years of experimentation, he brings you Stave & Steel Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet. This is winemaking reinvented, and he’s just getting started.
Covering the most vine acreage in the state compared to any other red wine variety, Cabernet Sauvignon produces as much wine in California as Merlot and Pinot Noir combined. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates, as well as the freedom of its winemakers, allow for an incredible range of wine styles from this single grape.
California’s most famous region—and especially for Cabernet Sauvignon—is the acclaimed Napa Valley. While Cabernet is successful throughout the world, rarely has it achieved such merit as it does from the Napa Valley. At this point the two are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other.
Napa’s closest neighbor, Sonoma County, does an impressive job keeping up with Napa’s fame and glory. Alexander Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Moon Mountain and Knights Valley contribute to the lot of some of California’s top-rated Cabernet Sauvignon.
Lake County in California’s North Coast has become a focus for some of Napa’s more respected growers. From the Central Coast come iconic examples of classic California Cabernet; Lodi and the Sierra Foothills are great budget-friendly sources of amicable Cabernets.