2016 Battuello Cabernet Sauvignon

ABOUT DISTINGUISED VINEYARDS

We are fortunate to source grapes from some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon growers in the Napa Valley. To honor the vineyards that stand out, each year we will produce the Distinguished Vineyards wines. In 2016, we chose Battuello Vineyard in St. Helena as one of those vineyards because of their rich history and commitment to quality.  

VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING

The Battuello Vineyard is a fourth-generation, family-run vineyard in St. Helena – with the fifth generation already living on the farm. The current patriarch (Craig) and his sons (Dave and Mark) meticulously farm the vineyard. Craig and Dave jointly-own the vineyard and Dave takes great pride in carrying on the family tradition. Known for an impeccable farming style, each block is farmed individually. The 2016 is primarily from the “Rockpile,” which is an older block grown in gravelly loam that is full of cobblestones. The area is aptly named, and yields complex wine with beautiful dark fruit and berry flavors and lingering, silky tannins. 

The grapes were harvested on September 26.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak.

VINTAGE

Although bud-break in Napa Valley was early in 2016, the season was much cooler than normal.  We didn’t get the usual high heat in July and August, which provided for a longer hang time for the grapes. Overall, quality was high. The harvest was smooth and progressed from varietal to varietal with the Sauvignon Blanc coming in first, then the Chardonnay, and time in between to transition to the reds.  In late September, we started bringing in Cabernet Sauvignon from across the valley for our ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon, and it was interesting that the grapes – all the way from the cooler Coombsville area up to the warmer parts of St. Helena – ripened at the same time.  We completed the Cabernet harvest in October. 

TASTING NOTES

This Cabernet Sauvignon offers inviting aromas of raspberry, red currant, blackberry and a hint of cocoa. Rich and silky on the palate, the wine has round tannins and a long finish filled with cherry and cassis flavors.

FOOD PAIRINGS

Enjoy this wine with sausage ravioli in marinara sauce or braised short ribs.