Napa Valley, just north of San Francisco, has become the flagship of fine American wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines grow along the valley’s slopes, where a Mediterranean climate is moderated by the morning fog afforded by the Pacific Ocean. The soils are strikingly diverse, ranging from volcanic gravel to clay-limestone layers and alluvial deposits. Once brought into the winery, the grapes undergo a long maceration in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats, fermenting with native yeasts. The wine is then aged for 18 months in French oak barriques.
The intense purple hue introduces an expressive bouquet. Blackcurrant, blackberry, black plum, cedar, dark chocolate and sweet spice all unfold with clarity. On the palate, the wine is generous and structured, carried by tightly knit yet smooth tannins and leading into a persistent finish with subtle oak and a mineral edge.