2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Soil/Vineyard: The fruit is sourced from 24 unique vineyard blocks that showcase the diversity and complexity of the property. Vines are planted at elevations from 850 to 1650 ft asl. 

Tasting Notes: The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful full bodied Napa Valley wine. On the nose, this wine showcases hints of cherry cola, vanilla and dark fruit. The finish is a rounded mouthfeel that is persistent in the long and opulent finish. 

Vinification & Maturation Process: Aged 23 months in 50% new French oak and 50% once used French oak barrels. The lees were stirred for the first year followed by three racking on the second year of ageing. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

Winemaker Bio: Craig Becker, a Southern California native, is a founding member of Somerston Estate. A strong love of the outdoors attracted Becker to winemaking. This attraction, combined with innate talent, led him to the helm of Somerston – an expansive project focused on great wines and an appreciation of the natural world.

Becker spent much of his childhood in Long Beach, California before moving north to attend Santa Rosa Junior College – with both the desire to be surrounded by nature and for the unlimited mountain biking opportunities. Soon after transferring to the University of California at Davis to study plant physiology and soil science, he met Courtney Siverson, who would later become his wife. While finishing his degree, Becker’s interest in winemaking took flight after working a harvest job at Robert Mondavi Winery. Soon thereafter, he worked at Spring Mountain, before starting his own winemaking consulting company. It was during this time that he met our Proprietor, Allan Chapman, who had recently launched two wine brands – Priest Ranch and Somerston, from the Somerston Estate property in St. Helena

In Becker’s free time – which is extremely limited these days – Becker enjoys spending time with his family, gardening with his girls, woodworking (he hand-built many of the features in his St. Helena home) and flying planes. He admits, however, that for now he’s committed to remaining on the ground to oversee the growth and success of the Somerston Estate and wine brands.

About the Vintage: The beginning of the 2019 growing season was defined by copious rainfall and late soil moisture followed by a warm summer. There was very few extreme heat events and foggy mornings set the stage for vibrant and expressive wines. The long, relatively mild finish of the season helped to preserve freshness and finesse in the fruit with sufficient hang time teasing out a great colour, structure and soft tannins. 

Alcohol: 14.9%

Formats: 750ml, 6 bottles per case

Private Client $103.46/bottle Investment of $620.76 per case

Licensee: $92.19/bottle Investment of $553.14 per case

*Sold out – next allocations released in early 2023