Cultivar Wines

A slight departure from our previous Rose, the grapes that make up the 2015 Rose are Graciano, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and a touch of Carignane and Mouvedre to round out the wine. Graciano is a Spanish varietal that is deep in color making it a perfect wine to build a rose wine, with nice structure and weight.  The 2015 Rose is a beautiful pink color with elegant strawberry and cranberry aromas with hues of roses that will capture your nose. On the palette you’ll taste cranberry and tart cherry fruit, with a little spice. The wine is bright and refreshing with a lingering finish. 

Once again the beautiful aromas of the Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc leap from the glass. Generous and persistent stone fruit and tropical notes on the nose lead to peaches and nectarine on the palate. The acidity is balanced and medium to high. This is a rich, high-octane Sauvignon Blanc made from classy fruit that has some serious weight on your palate.  A small percentage was fermented in neutral barrels as well as a concrete egg to add depth. The wine has a long finish with bursts of acidity and lemon zest. It is perfectly for lovely salads and grilled fish.

This Sauvignon Blanc has a steely minerality on the nose. It is followed by flavors of lemon zest; granny apples, green gage plums and a hint of toast from the barrels. It is persistent and intense on the palate and has high acidity with loads of stony minerality on the finish. It is a food wine that begs for cheese and will work well with salads of all types. 

The 2014 Cultivar Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc is a rich and classic Sauvignon Blanc to which our winemaker Julien Fayard brings a touch of great white Bordeaux characteristics. It is characterized by steely, green citric notes, gooseberry fruit, a grassy and herbaceous notes.  The neutral oak adds a depth and richness that is beautiful on the palate.

Our 2013 Oak Knoll Chardonnay is a pure expression of Chardonnay. This Chardonnay delivers fruit on the nose and on the palate taking one back to an age where fresh pies were set on window sills to cool. On the nose, the Chardonnay has baked apples, pear and melon notes with nuances of spice and flower aromas. On the palate, the wine has beautiful weight and balance, fermented in neutral oak barrels to add just a touch of richness on the palate.

This stunning wine opens with aromas of raspberries, cardamom, tobacco and earth on the nose. The palate is full of fresh raspberries and black cherries as well as cinnamon and sweet brown spices. It is medium in weight with balanced tannins. This super food-friendly wine would be great with duck or salmon.

Raise a glass and examine its dark purple color. Swirl to coat the glass with aromas of black cherry and plum with a hint of vanilla and spice. Sip to experience cherry, plum, and dark currant on your palate. As to be expected with a Cultivar Cabernet enjoy beautiful fruit with great structure and classic Cabernet notes. It’s the perfect wine to enjoy with hearty dinners such as braised short ribs, pot roast, or brisket.

We have used Merlot for a few of the Napa Cabernet wines in small additions to add aromas and structure to the Cabernet. A dark blue colored grape that is known for its softness and fleshiness. With the longer hangtime in Carneros our Merlot developed rich classic characteristics of Merlot with an added richness. Its brilliant red in the glass, with aromas of Dark Cherries, Plums, all spice and sweet vanilla. On the palate its rich and has sweet cherry fruit. A long finish with a touch of tannin. A great match for wild game, lamb and fall dishes. 

The Calistoga is dark purple in color, almost black.  Dark cherry fruit with black currant notes are intertwined with dark cocoa and coffee notes. Hues of tobacco, black pepper and floral notes bring the nose all together.  The Calistoga Cabernet on the palate follows the nose, rich dark cherry and blackcurrant fruit command mouth with fine tannins, spices and cocoa. A long linger rich finish. This is classic Cabernet from Calistoga. We see this wine aging for at least an additional ten years. 

There are wines from day one of harvest that capture your attention. The 2013 Atlas Peak is one of those. It had great color and intensity from the start. Dark purple, blue and red colors capture the eye, while aromas of black currant and sweet plum lift from the glass. On the palate, the wine is rich with lush dark fruits, while a touch of oak adds complexity and length to the palate. The tannins are long and integrated. For those of you who had the chance to enjoy our 2012 Howell Mountain, this reminds us of that wine with more richness and depth. While extremely tempting to enjoy now, it will age beautifully for the next decade.

Located just above our Estate Vineyard, on top of the Mayacamas Mountain Range, is Leaky Lake Vineyard. First planted in 2007, the grapes grow on the hillside facing the southeast, resulting in wine with well-developed flavors and structure. The 2013 vintage marks our second single vineyard offering from Cultivar. 

Exclusively Available to Cultivar Wine Club members. Join our wine club.

The 2012 Atlas Peak is a deep red color. Right from the start the wine has brighter notes than other Cabernets with more floral and spicey aromas, with a hue of sweet oak. You also taste Red raspberries and cranberry flavors, with a hint of all spice. The wine dances on the palate elegantly and pretty. The fruit has great structure with acidity and tannins.  Do let the wine sit in the glass for a few minutes before drinking.  A few years of cellaring will be well rewarded.