Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Old Stake 1901 Vineyard’ Lake County

Winemaker

Scott Kirkpatrick

Appellation

Lake County

Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Terroir

Volcanic/Alluvial

Ratings & Reviews

Vineyard

Grapevines have graced the deep red, iron-rich soils of our Old Stake 1901 property in the Kelsey Bench AVA for over a century. The terroir of this vineyard is ideal for Cabernet with its elevation, volcanic deposits, and cool afternoon winds. The Kelsey Bench AVA in Lake County was originally a pyroclastic flow from over ten thousand years ago, and is a transition point between the volcanic Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the alluvial flood plain of the Clear Lake basin to the east. The soils in the vineyard reflect this transition, offering mildly rocky, red volcanic elements mixed with alluvial loams. The vineyards sit between 1,350 and 1,450 ft., and this elevation, along with the cooling effects of the lake and nearby mountains, create 50°F diurnal temperature swings, that produce wine of excellent acidity, ideal tannin structure and bold, complex fruit characteristics.

Vinification

Our goal is to create a sumptuous Bordeaux-style Cabernet with refined structure, yet a hint of uplifting brightness. This wine consists of a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon co-fermented with Merlot to develop complexity. Picking was a combination of nighttime hand and machine harvesting, to retain freshness, while utilizing a relatively cool fermentation to boost the fruit and floral traits. The addition of Big Valley AVA Merlot imparts a softening freshness to balance out the density and tannins of the Cabernet. We conducted ML with French and Hungarian oak to foster integration, with a particular focus on producing a wine that expresses a lively elegance.

Aging

6 months French Oak & Hungarian Oak

Features

Cork

Available Sizes (L)

0.750