2021 SEAWOLF Lady of the Lake Cabernet Sauvignon Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino 94 Points

Vinification

When arriving at our organic estate, flanking your right side, you will find our thirty-six-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines.  This block looks east toward the ridges that separate Mendocino County from Lake County and Lake Sonoma. Our decision to name our inaugural vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Lady of the Lake, was inspired by Emma’s college summers spent in Lake County working harvest on her uncle’s pear orchards and vineyards. Stepping away from the demands of being a water polo athlete at UC San Diego, the slower paced-life of her summers in Lake County was where her passion for working with the land took root.

Sourced from our low-yielding organically farmed high attitude Cabernet Sauvignon vines, our 2021 Seawolf Lady of the Lake Cabernet Sauvignon embraces both the intensity of mountain grown fruit and the supple tannins that have drawn wine consumers to this Cabernet Sauvignon for decades. Following gentle organic farming techniques and low intervention winemaking favoring wild fermentations, this Cabernet Sauvignon co-fermented with Cabernet Franc is a rare find. Sur lie aged in Saint Martin French oak. Just under a single barrel produced, bottled both unfined and unfiltered. Bottle aged for twenty-three months. Enjoy now with proper aeration, or stow a bottle or two away for maximum enjoyment!

Ingredients: Hand-harvested, organically grown grapes; native yeasts; naturally occurring malolactic bacteria; minimum effective sulfur. Good for Mother Earth, good for you!

Site

The hand-harvested grapes are from our estate organic dry-farmed vineyard in the mountains (2,000 foot elevation) of Yorkville Highlands Mendocino County. The soils are a gravelly clay loam with larger rocks mixed in.

Tasting Notes

2021 SEAWOLF Estate Yorkville Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon – Purple in color. 14.1% ABV. The nose features red and black fruits, wet leaves, plums and cedar. Full bodied with notable power and concentration. Currants, cassis, tobacco leaves and graphite on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish with prominent, silky tannins. Best over the next 6-8 years. $64 at the winery and retail. Rated 94 points by Tom Lee of The Zinfandel Chronicles.

Details

Vineyard: SEAWOLF ESTATE                                                         

Appellation: Yorkville Highlands                                                                                                                               

County: Mendocino                                                                    

Winemakers: Emma Kudritzki Hall and Jesse Hall                                                                              

Production: 26 cases                                                                      

1 barrel crafted                                                                                                                                               

Alcohol: 14.1%                                                                              

Clones: Bud wood from Silver Oak