2019 Details Cabernet Sauvignon

Sinegal Estate was founded by David Sinegal, who in 2013 purchased the historic Inglewood estate in St. Helena. Sinegal, a former retail executive at Costco, Starbucks and other companies, updated the 30- acre, 19th century estate and brought in respected Napa winemaker Tony Biagi. Veteran viticulturalist Jim Barbour was hired as vineyard manager. The first commercial releases were 2013 Cabernet Sauvignons. The Inglewood estate, not to be confused with Inglenook Estate in Rutherford, was planted with vineyards in 1881. Sinegal and his team refurbished the vineyards, which are at various elevations from the valley floor up to the lower levels of the Mayacamas Mountains. Like a growing number of other new, artisanal Napa wineries producing just a few luxury wines, Sinegal Estate’s wines are available generally by mailing list only. The estate’s Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet Francs have impressed reviewers in their debut vintages. Robert M. Parker rated them in the mid to high-90s and noted that “These are all super-impressive wines, so consumers should get on the Sinegal bandwagon before it becomes better known.”

Sonoma County is not an AVA, but it is a commonly used informal designation for wines made outside of more specific AVAs within Sonoma, which is a large wine producing region just west of Napa Valley. Though Sonoma is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbor Napa Valley, it has a long history of wine production. The area specialized in jug wine until the mid-20th century, when Sonoma producers took a cue from Napa and started improving quality. Unlike Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Sonoma specialized in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, though excellent Cabs are produced too. There are at present 16 AVAs within Sonoma County, and, like much of the West Coast of the United States, new AVAs are created in Sonoma County with regularity. Some Sonoma appellations, such as the Russian River Valley, are renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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.