Vineyard: Ellis Alden Vineyard sits at an elevation of 1400 feet along the sun-drenched western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains in the Alexander Valley. Isolated within a sprawling 4,000 acre ranch, the 200 acres of vines enjoy a pristine growing environment, above the fog line and sheltered from wind, frost, and negative pathogens. Our Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a prime hillside spot on the North Knoll with southern exposure that packs the grapes with powerful structure and expressive flavors.

Vintage: On the heels of a stressful 2017, growers and winemakers were thankful for a return to an uneventful but fruitful vintage in 2018. A cool spring started off the ideal growing season with a near-perfect fruit set in the spring, and summer temperatures were moderate with fewer heat spikes than the previous years. As a result, harvest started two to three weeks later than during the recent extended drought, but along a more historically typical timeline. The long hang times and even ripening yielded wines that show concentrated flavor and structure without being over-ripe - an ideal California Cabernet vintage.

Winemaking: Our Cabernet Sauvignon from Ellis Alden Vineyard was destemmed into one open-top tank, where it cold-soaked for several days before fermentation started spontaneously with wild yeast. Fermentation was aided only by a bit of heat and daily pump-overs for two weeks before pressing. The wine aged for 24 months in 75% new French oak barrels and was bottled unfiltered.

Tasting Notes: Thick in berry and vanilla, this is an earthy vineyard-specific wine, robust in tannin and oaky shadows. Richly decadent, it has acidity that keeps it in check and makes it delicious now, though it could stand some cellaring. Enjoy 2023 through 2035.