2016 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
91 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Awards
95 Points & Gold Medal Winner - The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge. Judges remarked that the wine was “jammy, concentrated" with "great tannins” while giving it an impressive 95 point score along with a gold medal. This vintage is a deep ruby red in color with elegant aromas of dried cranberries, bergamot tea and vanilla wafer. Sebastiani winemaker David Nakaji notes that "while appealing in its youth, this wine will age wonderfully over the next few years." 91 Points, Best Buy, Year's Best Cabernets - Wine & Spirits. "Floral currant scents flatter this wine with gamey sweetness even as its structure is lean, with some bitter mineral intensity gripping the finish. It’s tightly wound and red fruited, with a cactus-like green edge—a substantive take on the Alexander Valley: generously fruited, tightly built, delicious with a salad of duck confit."
Winemaker Notes
Our 2016 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep ruby red in
color with elegant aromas of dried cranberries, bergamot tea and vanilla
wafer. Ripe and round tannins fill the mouth with flavors of black
cherry, baking spices, and dried herbs. The finish lingers with bright
berry fruit, loamy earth and a slight sweetness imparted by the oak.
While appealing in its youth, this wine will age wonderfully over the
next few years. - David Nakaji, Winemaker
Composition
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine Specs
Vintage
2016
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Alexander Valley
Harvest Date
September 15 – September 30, 2016
Acid
6.0 g/L
pH
3.63
Aging
14 months in 20% new French oak
Bottling Date
July 2018
Alcohol %
14.5
Robert Parker
91
Wine & Spirits
91
Production Notes
After a three-day cold soak, we crushed and fermented the grapes at
relatively warm temperatures in stainless steel tanks. After pressing,
each lot was blended or lightly egg-white fined to remove green tannins. The wine was aged for 14 months, primarily in new and one-year-old French oak barrels. A smaller percentage went into Hungarian and
American oak.
Vineyard Notes
The Alexander Valley is located north of the town of Healdsburg in
Sonoma County. It is one of the warmer AVAs in the region making it
the perfect spot for red Bordeaux grapes.
e fruit for our 2016
Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Vimark and Della Vista Vineyards
in the Alexander Valley. These vineyard sites are comprised of well drained, alluvial soils located next to the Russian River in the northern
Alexander Valley. This adds concentration and distinct minerality notes. 2016 produced exceptional quality fruit in Alexander Valley. Warm
temperatures in late winter and early spring pushed bud break ahead of
schedule. A little unsettled weather during berry set led to some
reduced yields, but overall we came in at the low end of average. The
summer months were moderately warm with few heat spikes. Overall,
the mild season gave us wines of ample ripeness and great complexity.
We harvested our Cabernet Sauvignon from September 15 – September
30, 2016.
