Winemaker Cameron Woodbridge sources fruit from vineyards ranging across Napa Valley, from the south up to Calistoga in the north, with Northern Gale fruit historically drawn from Coombsville. The Northern Gale is the highest-volume bottling in the Stormy Weather lineup, typically around 600 cases per year, and is bottled as a 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. Extended aging in French oak gives the wine its characteristic depth, generous fruit, and structure.

The 2019 growing season saw very few extreme heat events, with foggy mornings setting the stage for vibrant and expressive wines. The long, relatively mild finish to the season — not without its moments of unpredictability — helped preserve freshness and finesse in the fruit, with abundant hang time drawing out great color, structure, and soft tannins.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Northern Gale storms out with powerful notes of baked plums, warm cassis, and blackberry preserves, plus wafts of dark chocolate, licorice, and menthol. The full-bodied palate has a lively backbone and grainy texture to support the bright, crunchy black fruit, finishing with lovely vibrancy.