Thirty years later in 2004 he decided to focus on the flavor profile that made the valley famous, releasing a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon known as Alexander School Reserve. We continue that tradition with this wine. This vintage is a testament to AVV Winemaker Kevin Hall's skill and the Alexander Valley's unique ability to grow amazing Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
We harvested the fruit for this vintage from a single twenty-five year old hilltop vineyard. These low yielding, gnarly, mature vines produce loose clusters of pea sized grapes that ripen evenly and have incredible concentration, tremendous color and layers of flavor. The 2014 growing season was very similar to 2013. The drought, combined with a mild winter and spring, caused an early bud break, but the overall length of the growing season was similar to past years. The lack of rain did not impact our fruit due to moderate temperatures throughout the growing season and the grapes ripened evenly. While news of the drought dominated conversations everywhere, there was an upside; the grapes had rich, concentrated flavors, much like the 2013 vintage. After harvest this lot was de-stemmed, fermented, then aged in French oak barrels for 24 months.
Aromas of cassis, oak, vanilla, chocolate, dark fruits and hint of eucalyptus fill the glass. This is a smooth wine with flavors of dark fruit, cassis, vanilla and chocolate. It is silky with well-integrated tannins and flavors that linger for a long time, giving you a chance to reflect on the history and tradition of Alexander Valley Vineyards and Cabernet Sauvignon.
