$60/bottle under the original label
Oh my....this is a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon.
The winemaker has an excellent pedigree in Sonoma County working for one of the top-end Russian River Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir brands. He produces this wine for a $60+/bottle program (separate from the aforementioned SB and PN program) and consults on a variety of other projects including a large national brand that is itself an exceptional value at the $15 price point. In a nutshell, the guy is quite talented.
The program/brand itself is relatively new and extremely well-funded so, like Lot 193 red Hills Cabernet Sauvignon from the same producer, little expense was spared in the production of this wine including top-quality fruit from an eastside alluvial drainage straddling Hoot Owl creek, small-lot custom crush production, and 20-months in 40% new French oak barrels. Not much else to say other than this is an absolutely fantastic $20 bottle of Cabernet.
Beautifully extracted medium/deep purple in the glass. Starts out deep, dark, loamy and graphitic but quickly adds bourbon truffle and cigar leaf notes then cassis and black cherry as it opens up. Still a bit shocky but well-knit together for a wine with 6-7 weeks in the bottle. The fantastic lushness of the 2019 vintage comes through beautifully on the palate but the profile is classic Alexander Valley (indeed, the vineyard is owned by one of the best producers in the valley and the source for our N.120 Moon Mountain Cabernet) with ripe cassis, black cherry, and blackberry compote caressing the palate in an absolute magic carpet ride of a finish. Man, I am really loving these 2019's!
100% Cabernet Sauvignon (95% Alexander Valley plus 5% Knights Valley Cabernet we blended in from the Lot 192)
40% new French oak
14.4%
Bottled May 21st, 2021
