2019 Bell Wine Cellars Sonnette

Bell Wine Cellars in Yountville was founded in 1998 by winemaker Anthony Bell. A native of South Africa, Bell earned viticultural degrees in South Africa and California before beginning a 15-year career at Beaulieu Vineyards, and, later starting his own winemaking venture. In 2002 Bell sold part interest in his winery to Ron Berberian, a wine wholesaler, and Alex Spanos, an NFL team owner. Bell remains winemaker, and the estate produces both red and white wines. Along with estate vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Bell Wine Cellars produces Pinot Noir with Oregon grapes, as well as Syrah and other reds sourced from California vineyards. The estate also produces white wines, Port and sparkling wine.

Napa Valley AVA is the most famous winemaking region in the United States and one of the most prestigious in the world. With nearly 43,000 acres of vineyards and more than 300 wineries, it is the heart of fine wine production in the United States. Winemaking started in Napa in 1838 when George C. Yount planted grapes and began producing wine commercially. Other winemaking pioneers followed in the late 19th century, including the founders of Charles Krug, Schramsberg, Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyards. An infestation of phylloxera, an insect that attacks vine roots, and the onset of Prohibition nearly wiped out the nascent Napa wine industry in the early 20th century. But by the late 1950s and early 1960s Robert Mondavi and other visionaries were producing quality wines easily distinguishable from the mass-produced jug wines made in California’s Central Valley. Napa Valley’s AVA was established in 1983, and today there are 16 sub-appellations within the Napa Valley AVA. Many grapes grow well in Napa’s Mediterranean climate, but the region is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay is also very successfully cultivated, and about 30% of the AVA’s acreage is planted to white grapes, with the majority of those grapes being Chardonnay,