Angeline Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Sonoma County 2018 (750ml)

 

Rated 92 Points by James Suckling

 

A serious red with currant, sweet-tobacco and mahogany character.  Medium to full body and soft, velvety tannins.  Reserved and beautiful.

 

Angeline Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

 

Sonoma County 2018

 

From iconic Sonoma County this classic Cabernet Sauvignon is lush and concentrated.  Influenced by long, warm summer days and cool evening temperatures, it offers vibrant acidity with complex notes of cassis, fresh sage and violets with velvety, firm tannins.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Fresh wild blackberry bramble with notes of dry red pepper flakes, padron peppers and persimmon skin.  Ripe cherry throughout with a clean, fruit-forward midpalate and structured tannins.

 

Vineyards

 

From high above the fog line in the Sonoma Mountains, to the sunny hillside slopes of Dry Creek Valley, and the warm, sundrenched vineyards of the Alexander Valley, we carefully choose and cultivate each lot to fully reflect the amazing potential of Sonoma County as a Cabernet Sauvignon producer.

 

Vintage

 

From start to finish, 2018 was a very steady season, offering weather that was reminiscent of years prior to drought.  Higher than average yields and excellent quality brought about a fruitful harvest beginning in late August.

 

Pairings

 

Concentrated and complex.  Pairs effortlessly with New York steak with green peppercorn sauce and whipped potatoes.

 

Angeline Vineyards

 

Fresh, Vibrant and Generous…

 

We’ve crafted everyday wines from the most notable regions in California for over 30 years. Open up California with us.

 

Courtney Benham founded Angeline in 1990, in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County.  Made at Martin Ray Winery, Angeline’s philosophy is producing wine that is a true expression of its varietal.  Not the opening act for Martin Ray wines or the b-side of the business, Angeline is the backbone – with wines that quickly took hold as a reliable great by-the-glass order in restaurants and bars around California.  Soon after, Independent retailers and wine shops took notice, followed by national retailers and recently internet sales have helped take Angeline international.

 

Our winemaking team produces Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Merlot.  We source fruit from premium vineyards throughout the Central Coast, Sonoma Coast, and Mendocino County, and ferment the wine in stainless steel tanks.  With minimal intervention from our winemaking team, Angeline emphasizes the characteristics of each varietal, letting the fruit speak.  Our flagship wine, Angeline California Pinot Noir, tastes precisely like Pinot Noir.  It’s bright, focused, and clean, with hints of berry, and notes of stone fruit.

 

By highlighting the unique qualities of each varietal, Angeline resonates with critics and casual consumers alike.  It wins awards and garners acclaim.  But more importantly, Angeline is wine we want to drink.  Enjoyed on a white tablecloth or on a picnic blanket, or with a cheese plate or cheeseburger, Angeline has range.

 

Winemaking Craft

 

While impeccable fruit is key, we take great care in every step of the wine making process.  Depending on the lot and vintage, we impart 15%-25% whole cluster fermentation and partial indigenous yeast fermentation.  Separated by clone, we use small lot open top fermenters, implementing consistent gentle punch downs for cap management.  The must is then gently basket pressed.  We use only French oak on all lots, with a distinct selection of coopers based on each individual appellation and program.

 

Pinot Philosophy

 

We make 100% Pinot Noir.  Every appellation has a specific set of needs in the vineyard – and in the winery – and expresses a distinctive sense of terroir once the grapes are in the bottle.  Our winemaker begins shaping each wine while it’s still in the vineyard and vinifies each in small lots at our winery in the heart of Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.  Using minimal intervention and manipulation, we want the terroir to shine through and each bottle to reflect the true nature of Pinot Noir.

 

Sustainable

 

• It’s a no-brainer.  That’s why we’ve joined ranks with the Sonoma County Winegrowers Association, and we are pleased to say that we have passed our first third-party sustainability audit!

 

• Our solar energy system supplies over 80% of the winery’s power.

 

• Winery cellar lighting is motion sensitive (lights off in dormant areas), and we are continuing to upgrade to LED lighting in all buildings.

 

• Our gray water collection pond has been recently upgraded to better treat winery wastewater through aeration and filtration, and much of it is being reused for landscape irrigation. This is particularly important in this time of drought.

 

• The piping that moves glycol throughout the winery to chill and warm tanks for fermentation and storage has been insulated for efficiency, as well as the tanks themselves to help maintain temperature with minimal energy consumption.

 

• Our inert Nitrogen is generated on-site which doesn’t require compressed gas deliveries by truck.

 

• All grape processing pomace (stems, seeds, skins) is recycled into vineyard and landscaping compost.