2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Granite Springs Vineyard
TASTING NOTES: This exceptional Cabernet is a deep ruby color and nearly opaque in the glass. It has a complex profile of cassis, cocoa, forest floor and subtle anise. It is bold on the palate but not aggressive, with dusty tannins and dark fruit flavors. Especially strong on the mid palate with a long finish. It will age beautifully for 10 to 15 years so you can enjoy some now and save some for the future!
Tasting Notes Updated June, 2022: The aromatic complexity of this wine begs for contemplation, with that lovely interplay of dark fruit, earth and chocolate with a hint of sandalwood. This wine has become even more interesting in the past year. The tannins are silky but weighty, perfect for pairing with a special cut of meat and stewed vegetables.
WINEMAKING NOTES: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot. When we harvested this fruit, it was one of the last vineyard blocks to ripen. The Granite Springs vineyard sits in a small valley just above Perry Creek, where it is common for the temperature of the vineyard to be 10-20 degrees cooler than other vineyards in the region. This micro-climate enables the grapes to reach full flavor maturity. The wine was aged for 24 months on 25% new French oak. The resulting wine is a bomb of elegant flavors, rich tannin structure, and bold, dark fruit. We feel this wine is reminiscent of wines from the renowned Rutherford Bench growing region in Napa Valley.
The result is a wine that will age beautifully for many years to come.
AGING: Aged 24 months with 25% new French Oak, 75% neutral oak.
FOOD PAIRING: Ribeye steak or other nicely marbled cuts of steak. Braised beef short ribs. Prime Rib. Grilled lamb rubbed with herbs like rosemary and thyme. Beef tenderloin. Aged semi-hard cheeses like an aged cheddar or gouda. Rich vegetarian dishes featuring portobello mushrooms and/or lentils may compliment this wine.
ACCOLADES: Silver Medal, Orange County Fair
GRANITE SPRINGS VINEYARD:
Granite Springs is one of the best known vineyards in Fair Play, the highly regarded sub AVA of El Dorado in which we do most of our farming. We’ve owned and farmed the vineyard since 2016, reworking and reviving it to bring it back to its full potential. With this 2018 vintage we’re finally starting to see that!
The vineyard was first planted in the late 1970’s and owned by the Russell family from 1981 until 1994 when it was purchased by the Latcham family. It is currently planted to 2 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Granite Springs Vineyard is slightly lower lying than other surrounding vineyards and thus tends to be a bit cooler, allowing for slower grape ripening which can build more complexity. It has granite outcroppings that tend to retain heat and several nearby ponds, both of which helped give the vineyard its name. Our biggest challenges so far with farming have been extremely limited yields and deer intrusion given the surrounding wildlife corridors.
126 cases produced