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Tasting Notes
Edging from ruby jewel-tone to a deep, saturated maroon color at its core, Sterling Vineyards’ Petersen Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon captures all the savory and fresh, brambly botanical notes of Diamond Mountain fruit. Dried sage, fennel, sun-ripened blackberry and cassis scents suffuse its nose, while bright, piquant flavors of juniper berry, red peppercorn, dark plum, and black tea concentrate on the palate. Powerful tannins are elegantly structured to hold the density and flavor concentration of this rich, voluptuous wine. Age for 7 – 10 years, or enjoy it now paired with beef Wellington, grilled portobello mushrooms, or fig and prosciutto flatbread.
Technical information
Vintage
The winter of 2022 was warm and dry, with rain and cooler weather passing through only toward the end of March. The mild spring gave an early start to the growing season, while the summer surprised us with cool mornings and warmer afternoons. As a result, the harvest yielded small berries with concentrated flavors and remarkable acidity, from which wines of exceptional balance and taste were derived.
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Blend
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak treatment
Aged 18 Months French Oak (75% New)
Volume
750 mL
Winemaking
Fruit from Petersen Ranch was hand-harvested in mid-October and allowed to ferment in stainless vessels for up to 15 days, with regular pump-overs to extract deep color and rich flavors. The wine was then gently pressed, racked and aged in individual lots for 18 months in French oak barrels, 78% new. Promising vineyard blocks were tasted frequently to discern which best expressed the unique character of Petersen Ranch before the final selection of candidate lots and individual barrels were marked for bottling.
Vineyard
This is Sterling Vineyards’ second vintage of Petersen Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon bottled as a single vineyard wine. Rising 700 to 900 feet above the valley floor, the steep, mountainside terraces of Petersen Ranch are carved from rare, volcanic glass soil, and their complex aspects create microclimates within the vineyard. Vines grown in the well-drained, deep, rich loam of this vineyard’s 60 planted acres experience a significant diurnal range. Cabernet Sauvignon planted here develops concentrated varietal expression and produces wines of remarkable intensity and finesse, offering a weight and richness that unfolds into a beautiful complexity in the layers of aroma and flavor.