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Tasting Notes
Deep and complex with layered aromas and flavors, this wine is a stunner. Notes of cassis, wild blackberry, tobacco, and leather are complemented with hints of warm spices and toasted nuts. Plush tannins make for a refined and luscious finish.
Vintage Notes
A fairly mild growing season with few heat spikes allowed our 2018 harvest to begin right after Labor day, later than previous years. The consistent growing season and cooler temperatures allowed for slow ripening and deep flavor development resulting in exceptional quality fruit with remarkable balance and brightness.
Vineyard Notes
The fruit for our Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is grown at high elevations on sloped hillsides with good drainage. Climbing as high as 1400 feet along the sun-drenched, western-facing slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, the fruit sits well above the fog line. Naturally protected from the wind, the area’s dry hot days combine with bracingly cold nights which puts an element of stress on the vines resulting in small clusters, small berries, and intensified flavors.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes were hand-sorted and underwent a two-day cold soak prior to fermentation to extract optimal color and flavor. After primary fermentation, the wine was then aged in French oak barrels, 75% new, where it underwent malolactic fermentation, followed by 20 months of aging before bottling.
