2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Block G12, Tenma Vineyard, Napa Valley

Opens with warm aromas of licorice, blackberry jam, spiced leather and juicy dark fruits. Its fruit flavors lean more dark than red, and lingering flavors of chocolate-covered cherry and tart currant are very well-balanced. Smooth across the palate, with mouthwatering acidity and luscious tannins. Pair this beautiful wine with a blackberry ricotta flatbread and bacon wrapped figs.

Each block was hand harvested individually and brought to the winery where the clusters were sorted again before being destemmed, with 50% crushed and 50% whole berries in the fermentation. The must was then allowed 2-4 days cold soak followed by a warm fermentation using a variety of different yeast strains. With two pumpovers a day the wine was only pressed off the skins when dry. It was then sent to barrel to undergo malolactic fermentation. Once this was complete it was racked one more time and then allowed to rest in barrel for 18 months in our caves.

After 12 months in barrel, we taste through all the individual blocks and select two that we feel are the highest quality and show individual character — these form our single-block series.

Tenma Vineyard, on an alluvial fan in Jericho Canyon in northeastern Calistoga, produces Cabernet Sauvignon wines of deep color and intensity. This Cabernet Sauvignon is picked from Tenma Vineyard’s G12 block, located slightly farther away from the rockier creek side of the estate. With 10-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted, the soil has great drainage with fewer rocks to obstruct the vine growth, showcasing a much different style of wine than other blocks found in the vineyard.