2018 Prevail Lookout Tree, Alexander Valley
93 Points - Wine & Spirits
This is our inaugural vintage! Intense aromas and flavors including blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, jammy berries, cherries, nutmeg, brown sugar, leather, vanilla, cedar and spice. This full-bodied wine has a long, rich finish and smooth, mouth-coating tannins.
Winemaker Notes
This is our inaugural vintage! Intense aromas and flavors including blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, jammy berries, cherries, nutmeg, brown sugar, leather, vanilla, cedar and spice. This full-bodied wine has a long, rich finish and smooth, mouth-coating tannins.
Food Pairing Notes
The combination of tannins from the Cabernet Sauvignon and lush structure from the Cabernet Franc make our food-friendly Lookout Tree a perfect pairing with roast chicken or pork, duck cassoulet, roasted or grilled beef, Coq Au Vin, or butterflied leg of lamb. Tomato-based dishes and rich vegetables (eggplant parmesan) and vinegar-based sauces (smoky BBQ) also pair well.
Composition
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Red Blends
Appellation
Alexander Valley
Acid
5.4 g/L
pH
3.86
Aging
18 months in French oak, 80% new
Bottling Date
July 20, 2020
Alcohol %
15
Wine & Spirits
93
Production Notes
The grapes are hand harvested, and upon entering the winery, hand sorted and then gravity fed directly into oak and stainless steel tanks for five days of cold soaking. Following the cold soak, yeast is added and pump overs commence, one to two times daily, for the duration of primary fermentation. After primary fermentation, the wine is drained and pressed to barrels for malolactic fermentation, then aged in the wine caves for 18 months. This vintage was bottled
unfined in July 2020.
Vineyard Notes
The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend are grown on the steep slopes of Ferrari-Carano’s LookOut Mountain which sits at the junction of Alexander Valley, Knights Valley and Chalk Hill Appellations. This mountain vineyard, soaring in elevation from 500 to 1,400 feet, is comprised of ancient, weathered sandstone and sandy loam soils bearing low-yielding vines. The 2018 season was a very good year with ideal weather conditions for the vines. Spring produced great set, and average rainfall led to good yields. Consistently warm temperatures during the summer months without any drastic heat spikes or rain events allowed for longer “hang time” for the grapes, which led to fully ripe flavors.