Thoughts on our Wines of Winter

I enjoy choosing the November release of new wines because it moves us from the light wines of summer to heartier wines well suited for the coming winter months.

Headlining the release is the 2012 vintage of our Heritage Cabernet Franc. We continue to explore the depths of the Del Arroyo Vineyard and its abilities with this cultivar, each year getting closer to its full potential. Still a young wine, give it some time to open and then enjoy its densely layered richness of blackberry and red current, framed with subtle notes of dark chocolate and coffee.

Also in this release is our 2013 Founder’s Cabernet Sauvignon. Previous vintages of this wine have been awarded Best of Show, Best of Class, or Double Gold in every entered competition, and all have been rated 90 points or higher by the editors at Wine Enthusiast. Our cabernets have been called “elegant and texturally fascinating,” by the editors at Palate Press. So, releasing this wine before Thanksgiving gives our supporters a pre-holiday opportunity to experience what I believe is one of the finest cabernets in California. With 2013, you will find a wine that is saturated with color and tannins, and is ripe and generous in flavor. Aromas resemble dark chocolate, blueberries and cedar shavings, while flavors run to fresh blackberry, cinnamon and clove. The texture is still young from tannins, which helps it stand up to the rich foods of the holidays. This is a wine meant to enjoy now, or to cellar for several years.

Finally, I am proud to release our 2014 Fume’ Blanc, a barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a rich tradition in Livermore Valley, the first vintage having been crafted by Charles Wetmore in the 1880s to challenge the European supremacy with this cultivar. By stirring the lees and then leaving it rest, Wetmore created a defining Livermore style of Sauvignon Blanc that would earn the Grand Prize at the 1889 Paris Exposition against more than 25,000 wines from around the world. It is in this spirit that we craft our Fumé Blanc, a living testament to the traditions of Livermore Valley.

I hope you enjoy our wines of winter.