2016 Cervantes Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Pope Valley is not an official AVA, though if the vintners who grow grapes and make wine there have their way, it will someday gain AVA status. The area is 25 miles east of the Silverado Trail above Rutherford and St. Helena, near Lake Berryessa, and proposals by local vintners would include about 108 square miles of land. Elevation here ranges from 500 to 1,400 feet and temperatures are more extreme that Napa Valley appellations closer to water.

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.