Vineyards: The Vintage Select combines lots from all of our vineyards to give the truest expression of the character of each vintage in Sonoma County. The Cabernet for the 2019 edition of this wine was sourced from the Star Springs Ranch in Alexander Valley (70%) and our Estate Vineyard (30%) in Dry Creek Valley.

Vintage: The 2019 growing season began with heavy rains in March and April, which allowed soils to store up plenty of water to weather the dramatic heat spikes we witnessed in June and mid-August. Other than those brief events, the growing season was relatively mild and we were able to take advantage of the extended hangtime from this mountain site. Harvest at our estate occurred on October 2nd - the latest we've picked Cabernet since working here - and we picked Star Springs on October 8th. Both produced grapes with bright, expressive fruit flavors and balanced acidity at moderate sugar levels. The long hang times and even ripening yielded wines that show concentrated flavor and structure without being over-ripe - an ideal California vintage.

Winemaking: The grapes were de-stemmed into small open-top tanks for a long cold soak to encourage development of color before fermentation began spontaneously with wild yeast. Fermentation continued without the addition of any chemicals or enzymes, aided only by the heat of the sun and gravity-fed "pump-overs" once per day. After pressing the wine went into French oak barrels – 30% of which were new – aged for 24 months, and was racked only once, immediately prior to bottling.

Tasting Notes: Warmed plum sauce and melted red licorice notes meld together easily, with a singed vanilla note draped over the top. Offers an open, generous feel through the finish.