2016 Priest Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes

Coach Gun is Somerston's flagship wine and has proved to be a favorite among the winery's members and fans. The 2013 vintage of this wine is no exception and as Robert Parker stated, "2013 may turn out to be the finest vintage I have experienced in tasting North Coast varietals over the last 37 years. It's a game-changer in terms of the consistency of quality, the depth of quality, and the across-the-board excellence for so many wines."

TASTING NOTES

This Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied wine with balanced acidity and tannins. The nose is full of chocolate, black cherries, cassis and a touch of earth. The rounded mouthfeel is persistent in the long and lingering rich finish.

Pair with seared ribeye with dijon mushroom sauce.

About Winery

Priest Ranch wines are grown and made at the Somerston Estate in the Eastern Hills of Napa Valley. The eastern part of the Somerston property was originally settled by Joshua James Priest who arrived in California in 1849. Priest gained title to 638 acres of the Catacula land grant in Soda Valley and he and his descendants managed to hold on to most of the ranch for over a century. Today, all the Priest Ranch wines are 100% Estate Grown and made from selected vineyard blocks that express integrated and intensely rich, yet approachable qualities. Priest Ranch wines represent the diversity and richness of the Somerston Estate.

WINEMAKING
Priest Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon was aged 22 months in 40% new French oak and 60% once used French oak barrels. The lees were stirred for the first year, followed by three racking in the second year of aging. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

HARVEST NOTES

Everything about the 2016 vintage was early, from bud break in early March through harvest.  The near-perfect growing season saw ideal warm weather conditions throughout spring and summer days.  Lighter than usual yield accelerated the start of harvest that began in September.  We began to pick fruit from the 24 blocks used to produce this wine on September 28th and were completed by October 27th.

VINEYARD NOTES

The historic Priest Ranch is now part of Somerston Estate, a significant property totaling 1,615 acres with 225 acres of hillside vineyards. What defines and distinguishes the estate are the dramatic elevations of the vineyards, ranging from 800 ft. to 1,600 ft. The wines of Priest Ranch are sourced from multiple blocks, showcasing the diversity and complexity of the combined property. Our 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon came from 24 unique vineyard blocks, planted at elevations from 850 to 1600 ft asl.