Cabernet Sauvignon is a Livermore Heritage Varietal. The first recorded plantings of thisgrape in Livermore Valley were by Charles Wetmore, who planted cuttings from Châteaux Margaux prior to 1888. These cuttings produced scions that are now widely planted throughout California. Clones 7, 8, 11 and 30 are all Livermore clones. Livermore Valley has over 120 years of experience with growing Cabernet Sauvignon, longer than any winegrowing region in California.

Grapes were hand harvested and hand sorted at the winery before stemming without crushing. Cold soaked for 24 hours before fermenting, the juice was both pumped over and hand punched down in our open top T T-Bins. Fermentation temperature was roughly constant at 85 degrees, a choice temperature to optimize flavor and color extraction without sacrificing the aromatics. At the completion of fermentation, the wine was pressed into French oak barrels where it was aged for 18 months prior to blending.

Our 2017 Livermore Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of two vineyards, each with its own expression of Livermore Valley. The Sachau Cabernet (60%) provides wonderful fruit and floral components, as well as a distinctive minerality reminiscent of the soil on which it is grown. The Ghielmetti Vineyard Cabernet, grown on the valley floor near the Altamont Hills, provides depth and structure to this opulence.