2018 Sebastiani Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County
The 2018 Sebastiani Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of sassparilla, black pepper and new leather. On the palate, concentrated black cherry, savory Mushu plum and rich molasses lead to vanilla flowing through the decadent finish.
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 growing season was one of the mildest and smoothest in recent memory. Mild spring weather led to good fruit set in most varietals and moderate weather throughout the year made for ideal growing conditions. There were no major heat spikes, which gave us longer hang-time and great ripening on the vine. While a fairly long harvest, the 2018 crop delivered fruit with complex flavors and was of excellent quality.
Composition
97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Sonoma County
Acid
7.3 g/L
pH
3.6
Aging
16.5 months in 26% new French oak, 18% 1-year old French oak, 56% 2-year old French oak
Bottling Date
July 2020
Alcohol %
13
Production Notes
The grapes were destemmed and crushed to tank for a two day cold soak prior to innoculation and a warm ferment to dryness. The wine was pressed off skins with a small amount of press going to tank for settling and then racking to a mixture of barrels and stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 16.5 months in 26% new French oak prior to filtration and bottling.
Vineyard Notes
The majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon came from the Lyon Vineyard located along the Russian River in northern Alexander Valley which was planted in 1973. The remainder is from the Cherryblock Vineyard planted by the late August Sebastiani in 1961. Both blocks were planted on the traditional St. George rootstock, favored by California vintners from the late 1880s through the 1970s. It withstood California’s first and second waves of phylloxera and today is the rootstock found in most of the state’s oldest plantings.
Production
828 cases produced