Winemaker Notes
In its inaugural vintage, our 2007 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon matches straightforward, fruit-focused character with finesse and grace. The wine opens with a deep purple color and ripe black fruit lifted by toasty oak and vanilla. Well-integrated tannins carry the blackberry, currant and plum flavors through the middle and into a lengthy finish. Smooth and polished, the wine holds a fine balance of firm, ripe fruit and lively acidity, making a versatile pairing for a variety of foods, such as a rustic Italian torte or grilled steak dressed in fresh herbs. With this wine, we wanted to translate the purity of the vineyard into the glass, ushering the grapes from field to bottle with minimal intervention. We used simple, traditional techniques, extracting the maximum aromas and flavors with extended maceration and frequent pump-overs. For complexity and character, we aged the wine for 16 months in American and French oak barrels.
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.