VARIETY:

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

THE VINEYARD:

This rugged terrain first made history when gentleman bandit Charles Earl Bowles, known as Black Bart, robbed the daily stagecoach that travelled over the hill from St. Helena to Monticello. The hills were planted to vine by early German settlers in the late 1800’s and abandoned at the onset of Prohibition, where the ground lay fallow until 1995 when Dr. Jan Krupp purchased the 1,100+ acres that stretches from the southern edge of Pritchard Hill overlooking Oakville to the westernmost regions of the Atlas Peak Appellation. Today, nearly 600 acres are planted to various varieties, with Syrah planted in the highest elevations. Our long-term contract is on the I-2B Block, that sits near the highest peak of the vineyard, adjacent Pritchard Hill. It is perhaps, if not the most, ideal area for growing mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.
 

WINEMAKER’S RECORD:

The Stagecoach Vineyard consistently produces Cabernet Sauvignon of unparalleled quality. This wine possesses an impressive, bold, deep, dark color that opens the door to an array of black fruit aromatics. Full-bodied, rich and complex with cassis and concentrated black plum, followed by warm toasted bread and French Oak vanillin. This wine has verve and the palate shows superior promise. The tannins are firm and support the back palate for several moments beyond the initial taste.
 

PRODUCTION Essentials

Method | Pellenc Destemmed Into Open Top Fermenters and Concrete Diamond Tanks, 100% Native Primary and Secondary Fermentation With Extended Macerations of 16 to 21 Days. 100% Free Run Juice.

Aging Regimen | 18 Months, 100% New 3-Year Air-Dried French Oak (Boutes, Sylvain, Taransaud)

Production | 725 Cases