Taste

This singular and elegant wine reflects the characteristic depth of Bordeaux varieties and the winemaker’s art in blending. A beautiful violet-red color precedes inviting aromas of blackberry jam, fine cherry and rich mocha. The wine is luscious with subtle nuances of dark chocolate, smoky-mint, and vanilla cream. The structure is softly complex with pliant tannins and a succulent finish. Pairs well with braised lamb shanks, seared flank steak, and aged cheddar.

Grow

The 2014 vintage was the fourth consecutive year of dry weather and an abundant wine grape crop. Winter was exceptionally mild and spring came early to the North Coast, but we experienced far too little rain. The lack of soil moister coupled with steady warm temperatures throughout spring and summer led to an earlier than expected harvest. The upside of the steady weather was uniform ripeness and the opportunity to ferment fruit of multiple varieties, clones, and appellations in the winery at the same time which brought a valuable perspective to the vintage. The steep hillsides of the Alexander Valley deliver exceptional quality to wines of this stature. The shallow, yet healthy soils have good water holding capacity and ideal exposure which create a perfect environment for our Bordeaux varieties. The combination of diverse soil types and solar aspects lead to complexity in flavors and subtle variations in ripening that add layers and dimension to the wine. Our more northerly situated vineyards were fully mature in mid-September and the cooler sites at the southern end of the valley matured in late September.

Make

Over 35 years ago a rare coin bearing the head of the legendary thinker, ruler and adventurer, Alexander the Great, inspired the name of this top-tier wine − a deep, complex, thought-provoking red blend − Reserve Alexandre after the remarkable and influential man. To this day, we continue the rich tradition with our noteworthy Bordeaux blend, the creation of which calls upon the use of the very faculties for which Alexander the Great was celebrated: strategy, tactics, adventurousness, philosophy, idealism, and decisiveness. Grapes for the 2014 Reserve Alexandre were hand-picked and underwent 100% malolactic secondary fermentation followed by 18 months of barrel aging in 100% French oak (30% new).