2020 Cathiard Family Estate Cathiard Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cathiard family, owners of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, joined the club of Bordeaux wine growers based in California. The estate was founded in 1885 by two brothers from Scotland, James and William Rennie. The estate changed hands after Prohibition and again in the 1970s until it was purchased by the Cathiard family in 2020. The cultivation of the vines and the production of the wines are carried out according to the same values as at Château Smith Haut Lafitte: a deep respect for nature and its beauty, meticulous work on the vines and a traditional know-how that plays an important role in innovation. Located in Rutherford, this estate features 25 hectares of vineyards.

Hailing from the Rutherford and St. Helena AVAs, Cathiard Vineyard is nestled at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains, where vintners have cultivated the land for more than a century. The Cathiard Vineyard expresses the individuality of this unique terroir. The grapes are hand-harvested from Cathiard's oldest hillside vineyard. Once the grapes reach the cellar, they are carefully destemmed and sorted to ensure that the best whole berries are used. The grapes are transferred by gravity to fermentation vats and left to soak in the cold for up to 5 days. During the fermentation process, gentle manipulations by pump-overs and punch-downs are performed to improve extraction. After 30 days in tanks, the wine is drained, pressed and undergoes natural malolactic fermentation in new French oak.

Comments from the winemakers:

"A dense aromatic profile of earth, dark plum, Valrhona chocolate, tobacco and spice dominate the nose. The palate is rich and round with seamless velvety tannins. A focused acidity complimented with a balanced, complete mouthfeel leads to a finish that displays the very best of the terroir farmed by Cathiard Vineyard." Justine Labbé & Fabien Teitgen

FACT : In the Tab: Appendix you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send it to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will also receive a nice discount