2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the “Old Guard” of classic wine varietals and it’s proven to be a very interesting grape to make wine from. While Lodi is mostly flat, there are pockets of unique soils. The wines produced from each of these locals are so unique and none show it more than Cabernet. Initially we treated it similar to the Old Vine Zinfandel that I was so familiar with and found that the aromas tended to flatten out if we picked at the high sugar levels, yet picking too early yields an excess of green pepper notes. We’ve come to know it well and now have a beautiful process to handle the finicky fruit.

The Vineyard:

The Clements Hills Sub-Appellation of Lodi is a unique place, softly rolling hills and little micro climates create pockets of grape growing excellence. Our winery in Lockeford sits on one of the small flat mesas above the Mokelumne river just before the land breaks into small rolling hills that cover most of the Clements Hills area.
The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from one of these pockets just a little over a mile away. Entering the property you can hardly even see the vineyard, just glympses of green over the hill. Comming over the hill, a small basin valley opens with a seasonal stream running through the center bisecting the vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon on north side and the Spanish and Italian varietals on the south side. This small basin valley is composed of soils ranging from dark clay to lighter aluvial loam over a layer of cobblestones below. The hills sourounding capture the summer heat during the day and at night build layers of cold air. Perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon.

On the nose, lively aroma of red fruit, baking spice and pepper blend with underlying floral notes. On the palate, a bright acidity and structured tannins lend itself to flavors of Juicy red cherries, with hints of vanilla cola, leading to a smooth finish.