Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Red and blackcurrants, gravelly earth, tobacco, and assorted spice notes all emerge from the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Rockfall Vineyard, and this rich, powerful 2017 has medium to full body, rich, chewy, substantial tannins, good overall balance, and a great finish. It shows more purity and elegance with time in the glass, yet it's still going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and should have an easy two decades of overall longevity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Rockfall Vineyard was aged for 20 months in French oak, 58% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes prancing out of the glass with gregarious crème de cassis, camphor, wild blueberries and black raspberries notes, plus suggestions of pencil shavings and wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with lively, expressive blue and black fruit flavors, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and layered. 600 cases were made.
While Sonoma County is acclaimed—and rightfully so—for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels, it also produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the region’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, only a handful produce top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations include Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons made in these appellations can offer a complex array of aromas and flavors. Fruit notes such as blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry and raspberry often are accompanied by hints of graphite, dusty earth, cigar box, toast and vanilla. The varietal has a rich history in Sonoma, and some of these Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends rival the best from Napa Valley.