2001 Lewelling Wight Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Lewelling Vineyards is in St. Helena. It was founded in 1864 by John Lewelling, a winemaker and horticulturalist. His great-granddaughter, her husband and their three adult sons still own and operate the 28-acre estate. Lewelling makes Cabernet Sauvignon that impresses reviewers. Robert M. Parker Jr. rated several of the 2007 Cabs in the high 90s and wrote that “One can’t say enough about the wines produced at this extraordinary site in Napa Valley.”

St. Helena AVA is at the northern end of Napa Valley just north of Rutherford and south of Calistoga. It is a relatively warm climate thanks to the Mayacamas Mountains on its western edge, which protect it from Pacific Ocean fog. Out of the 9,000 acres in the appellation, some 1,500 are under vine. The principal grapes grown in St. Helena are the Bordeaux grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. St. Helena is considered prime wine producing territory, and it was one of the first important wine producing regions in northern California. The legendary Charles Krug founded his winery just north of the town of St. Helena in 1873, and today the appellation is home to many prestigious producers, including Abreu, Grace Family and Spottswoode.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.