2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (67% Clone 191, 33% Clone 7)

District: Ad Vivum Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in two small blocks at Sleeping Lady Vineyard, in Yountville, Napa Valley. Sleeping Lady, the southernmost vineyard in the Yountville AVA, is in a location that enjoys ample cooling from nearby San Pablo Bay, which promotes gradual ripening. These blocks are found at the vineyard’s uppermost western perimeter along the Mayacamas Mountains, with rows oriented southwest-northeast. The vineyard is sustainably and meticulously farmed by the Bettinelli family.

Soil/Vineyard: The soil profile shows Keefers dark gravelly-sandy clay loam of alluvial origin.

Vinification Process: The berries were gently de-stemmed, and then sorted both optically and by hand. The must was cool-soaked for 48 hours prior to fermentation in 75% stainless and 25% new French oak barrels. Total maceration time was 23 days. Drained warm into 75% new French oak barrels for aging, the wine was bottled on June 30, 2020.

Alcohol: 13.2%

Winemaker Bio: Chris Phelps is the founder and winemaker of Ad Vivum, a top cabernet producer in the Napa Valley. He studied viticulture and enology at the university of Bordeaux as well as the University of California at Davis. During the famous 1982 vintage, he lived and worked at Château Pétrus in Bordeaux. In 1984 he became the founding winemaker at Dominus Estate in the Napa Valley, owned by the Moueix Family which owns Château Pétrus. Chris joined Caymus Vineyards as their red winemaker in 1996, and later worked at Swanson Vineyards. In 2007, Chris started Ad Vivum, his own Napa Valley venture in collaboration with his son. Chris also consults for a number of wineries throughout the West Coast including Inglenook in the Napa Valley.

Formats: 750ml, 6 bottles per case

Private Client $346.52/bottle Investment of $2079.12 per case

Licensee: $308.91/bottle Investment of $1853.46 per case

More from our collection

Ad Vivum

  AD VIVUM is a story of a special vineyard, a seasoned winemaker, a meticulous farmer, and Mother Nature. AD VIVUM is a single-vineyard, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine crafted by Chris Phelps, a long-time Napa Valley winemaker who has earned a reputation for his ability to consistently produce unique wines that honestly reflect the terroir of their vineyard origin. After many years of searching, Chris was introduced to Sleeping Lady Vineyard just south of Yountville by owner/farmer Larry Bettinelli, a fifth-generation farmer with a mission to do whatever it takes to grow Cabernet Sauvignon at the highest level. Chris & Larry had already collaborated on many small-lot experimental wines, starting in 1990, as Larry researched trellis design, clones, rootstocks and other key vineyard design features. After several years of collaboration and experimentation with Sleeping Lady Cabernet, Chris knew for sure that this vineyard was not just one more Napa Cabernet vineyard – rather, it was simply some of the most exceptional vineyard ground in Napa Valley. Based on this knowledge, he made the commitment in 2007 to begin his own winemaking project. Chris knew his new venture needed a name as big as the wine it represented - and that is where Mother Nature intervened. Chris found the inspiration from a personal experience in 2005 that further drove his passion for life and his love of winemaking – being struck by lightning and living to tell the story. Bringing together the Latin words AD (toward) and VIVUM (Vivere, to live + Vinum, wine) AD VIVUM was born – quite literally, in Chris’ mind – as the mystical intersection of wine and life. AD VIVUM, where wine and life meet.