Cultivar Rose 2014
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Blend: 68% Pinot Noir, 14% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 4% Sauvignon Blanc
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2018-
James
Suckling
Cultivar Wines was started by Jody Harris, and Gingy Harris Gable, founders of Caspar Estate Wines. The Estate is a 25 acre property located above the Napa Valley in the Rutherford Appellation. It has been family owned and operated since 1960, practicing organic and sustainable farming techniques to preserve, protect and maintain the environment. The property, which now contains fruit trees, over 800 Mission olive trees and about a quarter million honey bees, is an ideal setting for growing grapes, too. About 13 acres of vineyards were planted for Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot grapes. Caspar Estate wines express the unique terroir of the land, with firm tannins, fresh acidity, and remarkable structure. With 400-500 cases produced annually, Caspar Estate wine is offered by Allocation only. Click here to learn more.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.