2020 Sierra Del Mar Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, California

Winemaking Notes:
These Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown in Lodi California which is East of San Francisco by 70 miles and 20 miles south of Clarksburg in the Sacramento Delta area. Lodi is a little warmer that the delta based on its inland location, but it’s coastal proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area receives some of the cool breezes in the afternoon from the San Francisco Bay. Because of this cooling effect, the grapes hang onto much of its natural acidity.  We harvest the grapes in the middle of the night by machine while cold and deliver the fruit early at the winery. We destem the grapes directly into the fermentation tank for cold soaking. After 72 hours of cold soaking the grapes in the fermentation tank, the wine is then inoculated with yeast and the primary fermentation begins at 50 degrees F. The wine is fermented in tank cold for about 10 days and at the end of 14 days on the skin, we drain and press the tank. Finally, the wine is then transferred into neutral French oak for the remainder of fermentation. After fermentation the wine was inoculated for malolactic fermentation and then sulfured when dry. The wine ages in barrel for 14 months before bottling.

Sierra Del Mar describes the cycle and flow of water in California. Rain and snow fall in the Sierra mountains flow into the below waterways (the Sacramento Delta) which feeds the irrigation of our grapes. 

Tasting Notes: 
This wine expresses medium brick red color and displays bright cherry and rich cocoa notes up front. The palate is rich with a sweet core of fruit - ripe cherry, cassis and wild strawberries. The wine finishes with soft tannins and enough grip to have excellent balance with the acid and alcohol levels. The smooth texture sings of varietal Cabernet elegance with a mid palate of juicy raspberry coulis with cherry vanilla on the back end. 

Food Pairings: 
This wine pairs well with grilled bone-in pork chops or thick cut cowboy steaks served with a seasoned wild mushroom sautéed and Brussels sprouts slow cooked in butter and balsamic.