2008 Raymond District Collection St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon

Raymond Vineyards in Napa Valley was founded in 1971 by Roy Raymond, whose family had been winemakers in the valley for several generations. The Raymond family owned Beringer until 1971, when they sold it to start Raymond Vineyards. Today the estate is owned by Boisset Family Estates, a Burgundy-based, family-owned wine producing and importing conglomerate. Boisset owns more than 20 wineries in France, Canada and the U.S. Raymond today includes 300 acres and produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot.

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.