What I love about our Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon is the unexpected balance of acidity and fruit. The vineyard is seated in the shadow of Diamond Mountain and the soil is comprised primarily of volcanic ash. This adds a note of minerality to the wine which helps temper the amazing amount of ripe fruit characteristics that come from this warm growing region. The berries are tiny with large seeds and the skins have a chewy, jammy texture that transforms into a wine of extraordinary intensity. The oak profile is heavy and deeply toasted and this helps add sweetness to the more pronounced skin tannin. Because of the location of the vineyard, I also get more hang time which gives the wine a juicy layer to soften the big tannins. I enjoy the structure of this wine because it is so intense yet balanced. With respect to our Cabernet Sauvignon portfolio, this wine offers me so much to work with and it fits neatly into our full spectrum of styles as the placeholder on the big, bold end of the scale.

—Michael Baldacci, Winemaker