$135/bottle under the original label
There are vineyards, then there are vineyards, and then there’s Montecillo Vineyard - one of the oldest in Sonoma County and one of the best for Cabernet in the US.
Lot 419 is a 100% dry-farmed, hand-picked Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from a blue-chip producer. We managed to acquire 200 cases. If you could secure this highly-allocated wine direct from the winery, it’d run you $1,620+/case, or $135+/bottle, and that’s before any shipping charges.
Our price: $48/bottle.
Montecillo Vineyard is situated at 1700 feet on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas range, designated to the Moon Mountain sub-AVA. Planted in the 1960s, the original family still tends these vines to this day.
The entire site is dry-farmed, coupled with fast-draining Red Hill clay loam and rocky volcanic soil, making for deeply rooted vines. A milder diurnal shift with warm (not hot) days and cold nights complements a longer growing season. The results are low yields, small clusters, and concentrated berries. Once optimal ripeness is reached, the clusters are hand-picked; practically plucked.
Fruit this good deserves equally skilled craftsmanship, and our source nailed it. Fermented with native yeasts, then settled into a no-expense-spared barrel regimen of 40% new French oak and 60% 1st pass French oak from Francois Frères, Cadus, and Marquis cooperages.
Opening with cassis, eucalyptus, red fruits, and crushed florals haloed by vanilla blossoms and caramel, the entry is terroir-driven with leather and excellently delineated fruit from the nose backed by barrel-influenced spice amongst perfectly integrated tannins framed by deftly balanced acidity - the structure here is undeniable with incredible concentration. The finish is long, resonating with red fruits and spice shifting to a violet and vanilla umami that carries on and on over delicate red berries. Under proper cellar conditions, this wine has the spine to age gracefully for decades to come, however, once through bottle shock in a few months, a healthy decant will still reward the impatient amongst us.
15.5% alc.
